Medical Specialties Commons^™

Assessment Of Corticosteroid Therapy And Death Or Disability According To Pretreatment Risk Of Death Or Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia In Extremely Preterm Infants, Erik A Jensen, Laura Elizabeth Wiener, Matthew A Rysavy, Kevin C Dysart, Marie G Gantz, Eric C Eichenwald, Rachel G Greenberg, Heidi M Harmon, Matthew M Laughon, Kristi L Watterberg, Michele C Walsh, Bradley A Yoder, Scott A Lorch, Sara B Demauro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: Meta-analyses suggest that corticosteroids may be associated with increased survival without cerebral palsy in infants at high risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) but are associated with adverse neurologic outcomes in low-risk infants. Whether this association exists in contemporary practice is uncertain because most randomized clinical trials administered corticosteroids earlier and at higher doses than currently recommended.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the pretreatment risk of death or grade 2 or 3 BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age modified the association between postnatal corticosteroid therapy and death or disability at 2 years' corrected age in extremely preterm infants.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND …

Effect Of Quality Of Life On Radiation Adherence For Patients With Cervical Cancer In An Urban Safety Net Health System, Alison K Yoder, Elizabeth Dong, Xiaoman Yu, Alfredo Echeverria, Shelly Sharma, Jane Montealegre, Michelle S Ludwig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Outcomes for patients undergoing chemoradiation for cervical cancer are dependent on adherence to radiation therapy (RT). In other diseases, quality of life (QoL) is associated with treatment adherence, but the association between QoL and RT adherence for patients with cervical cancer remains unclear.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: This prospective study included patients undergoing RT for cervical cancer from 2017 to 2021 at an urban safety net hospital. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cervical Cancer Version 4 was used to assess QoL based on 5 subscales (physical, functional, social and emotional, and cervical-cancer specific). The survey was administered at radiation consult, …

Effect Of Quality Of Life On Radiation Adherence For Patients With Cervical Cancer In An Urban Safety Net Health System, Alison K Yoder, Elizabeth Dong, Xiaoman Yu, Alfredo Echeverria, Shelly Sharma, Jane Montealegre, Michelle S Ludwig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Outcomes for patients undergoing chemoradiation for cervical cancer are dependent on adherence to radiation therapy (RT). In other diseases, quality of life (QoL) is associated with treatment adherence, but the association between QoL and RT adherence for patients with cervical cancer remains unclear.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: This prospective study included patients undergoing RT for cervical cancer from 2017 to 2021 at an urban safety net hospital. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cervical Cancer Version 4 was used to assess QoL based on 5 subscales (physical, functional, social and emotional, and cervical-cancer specific). The survey was administered at radiation consult, …

Adapting Elements Of Cleft Care Protocols In Low- And Middle-Income Countries During And After Covid-19: A Process-Driven Review With Recommendations, Matthew Fell, Michael Goldwasser, B S Jayanth, Rui Manuel Rodrigues Pereira, Christian Tshisuz Nawej, Rachel Winer, Neeti Daftari, Hugh Brewster, Karen Goldschmied, Collaborators Fernando Almas, Mekonen Eshete, George W Galiwango, Larry H Hollier, Akhter Hussain, Lun-Jou Lo, Paul Salins, Debbie Sell, Amanuel Tafase, Ronald M Zuker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

A consortium of global cleft professionals, predominantly from low- and middle-income countries, identified adaptations to cleft care protocols during and after COVID-19 as a priority learning area of need. A multidisciplinary international working group met on a videoconferencing platform in a multi-staged process to make consensus recommendations for adaptations to cleft protocols within resource-constrained settings. Feedback was sought from a roundtable discussion forum and global organizations involved in comprehensive cleft care. Foundational principles were agreed to enable recommendations to be globally relevant and two areas of focus within the specified topic were identified. First the safety aspects of cleft surgery …

Endogenous Interleukin-10 Contributes To Wound Healing And Regulates Tissue Repair, Walker D Short, Meredith Rae, Thomas Lu, Benjamin Padon, Tanuj J Prajapati, Fayiz Faruk, Oluyinka O Olutoye, Ling Yu, Paul Bollyky, Sundeep G Keswani, Swathi Balaji

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is essential in fetal regenerative wound healing and likewise promotes a regenerative phenotype in adult dermal wounds. However, the role of endogenous IL-10 in postnatal dermal wound healing is not well-established. We sought to determine the function of endogenous IL-10 in murine full thickness excisional wounds that are splinted to prevent contracture and mimic human patterns of wound closure.

METHODS: Full-thickness excisional wounds were made in wildtype (WT) and IL-10

RESULTS: We observed no difference in wound healing rate between WT and IL-10

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that endogenous IL-10 expression does not alter closure of full …

Inhibitory Input Directs Astrocyte Morphogenesis Through Glial Gababr, Yi-Ting Cheng, Estefania Luna-Figueroa, Junsung Woo, Hsiao-Chi Chen, Zhung-Fu Lee, Akdes Serin Harmanci, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Communication between neurons and glia plays an important role in establishing and maintaining higher order brain function1. Astrocytes are endowed with complex morphologies which places their peripheral processes in close proximity to neuronal synapses and directly contributes to their regulation of brain circuits2–4. Recent studies have shown that excitatory neuronal activity promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation5–7; whether inhibitory neurotransmission regulates astrocyte morphogenesis during development is unknown. Here we show that inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. We found that input from inhibitory neurons functions through astrocytic GABABR and …

Comparison Of Neurocognitive And Quality-Of-Life Outcomes In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Patients Treated With Partial Resection And Radiotherapy Versus Gross-Total Resection Only, Guillermo Aldave, M Fatih Okcu, Murali Chintagumpala, Lucia Ruggieri, Charles G Minard, Fatema Malbari, Lisa E Mash, Arnold C Paulino, Susan Mcgovern, Uma Ramaswamy, William Whitehead, Lisa S Kahalley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: The optimal management of pediatric craniopharyngioma patients remains controversial, shifting from radical resection (gross-total resection [GTR]) to a more conservative approach with partial resection/biopsy followed by radiotherapy (PR+RT). To the authors' knowledge, no previous studies have compared neurocognitive and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes between the two main treatments. In this study, the authors compared changes in intellectual, adaptive, and QOL scores in children treated for craniopharyngioma with GTR and those treated with PR+RT.

METHODS: Patients underwent annual neurocognitive and QOL evaluations for up to 10 years posttreatment, including the Full-Scale IQ, Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working …

Gender Bias In Antidepressant Direct-To-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising, Leila K Asadi, Asim A Shah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Direct to consumer pharmaceutical advertising (DTCPA) may have significant impacts on public perception of diseases and treatments. Our objective was to examine whether DTCPA for antidepressants disproportionately portray and hence target women in the United States.

Methods: DTCPA for branded medications for depression, psoriasis and diabetes were analyzed to determine the gender of the main "patient" portrayed, as well as the content of the disease depiction.

Results: DTCPA for antidepressants included only women in 82% of ads, only men in 10.1% of ads, and both genders in 7.8% of ads. There were significantly higher representations of women versus men …

Vortioxetine Improves Physical And Cognitive Symptoms In Patients With Post-Covid-19 Major Depressive Episodes, Marco Di Nicola, Maria Pepe, Silvia Montanari, Maria Chiara Spera, Isabella Panaccione, Alessio Simonetti, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) following COVID-19 are frequent, can have a characteristic clinical picture, and are associated with immune-inflammatory changes. Vortioxetine is known to improve physical and cognitive performance in patients with depression and shows anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the effects of vortioxetine after 1 and 3 months of treatment in 80 patients (44.4% males, 54±17.2 years) with post-COVID-19 MDE. The primary outcome was improvement in physical and cognitive symptoms measured by specific items of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), Digit Symbol …

The Clinical Characterization Of Blocking Tics In Patients With Tourette Syndrome, José Fidel Baizabal-Carvallo, Joseph Jankovic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the presence of motor and phonic tics. Blocking phenomena, characterized by arrests in motor activity causing interruptions in movements or speech, have also been described in patients with TS. In this study, we aimed to characterize the frequency and features of blocking tics in patients with TS.

METHODS: We studied a cohort of 201 patients with TS evaluated at our movement disorders clinic.

RESULTS: We identified 12 (6%) patients with blocking phenomena. Phonic tic intrusion causing speech arrest was the most common (n = 8, 4%), followed by sustained isometric …

Covid19-Associated New-Onset Movement Disorders: A Follow-Up Study, Susanne A Schneider, Soaham Desai, Onanong Phokaewvarangkul, Elena Cecilia Rosca, Jirada Sringean, Pria Anand, Gary Álvarez Bravo, Francisco Cardoso, Anna M Cervantes-Arslanian, Harshad Chovatiya, David Crosiers, Femke Dijkstra, Conor Fearon, Francisco Grandas, Eric Guedj, Antonio Méndez-Guerrero, Muhammad Hassan, Joseph Jankovic, Anthony E Lang, Karim Makhoul, Lorenzo Muccioli, Sarah A O'Shea, Vahid Reza Ostovan, Javier Ricardo Perez-Sanchez, Ritesh Ramdhani, Victoria Ros-Castelló, Christina Schulte, Priyank Shah, Lars Wojtecki, Pramod Kumar Pal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Neurological symptoms are common manifestation in acute COVID-19. This includes hyper- and hypokinetic movement disorders. Data on their outcome, however, is limited.

METHODS: Cases with new-onset COVID-19-associated movement disorders were identified by searching the literature. Authors were contacted for outcome data which were reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS: Movement disorders began 12.6 days on average after the initial onset of COVID-19. 92% of patients required hospital admission (mean duration 23 days). In a fraction of patients (6 of 27; 22%; 4 males/2 females, mean age 66.8 years) the movement disorder (ataxia, myoclonus, tremor, parkinsonism) was still present after a follow-up …

Aspirin And Immunotherapy: A Faustian Bargain?, Eric A Goethe, Amy B Heimberger, Ganesh Rao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1) has been associated with improved survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, recent evidence suggests that FGL1 may bind to surface receptors on lymphocytes and induce immune senescence. In this issue of the JCI, Lin and co-authors show that FGL1 may be acetylated by aspirin and targeted for degradation, which is associated with increased antitumor immunity and improved survival. Similar findings were obtained with inhibitors of sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), a histone deacetylase. These findings expand our current understanding of the role of FGL1 in cancer and provide an impetus for the evaluation of alternative immunotherapy combinations in …

Surgical Reconstruction Of Stage 3 And 4 Pressure Injuries: A Literature Review And Proposed Algorithm From An Interprofessional Working Group, Samir S Awad, James D Stern, Cathy T Milne, Shane G Dowling, Ron Sotomayor, Elizabeth A Ayello, Leandro J Feo Aguirre, Basil Z Khalaf, Lisa J Gould, Michael N Desvigne, Abigail E Chaffin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Stage 3 and 4 pressure injuries (PIs) present an enormous societal burden with no clearly defined interventions for surgical reconstruction. The authors sought to assess, via literature review and a reflection/evaluation of their own clinical practice experience (where applicable), the current limitations to the surgical intervention of stage 3 or 4 PIs and propose an algorithm for surgical reconstruction.

METHODS: An interprofessional working group convened to review and assess the scientific literature and propose an algorithm for clinical practice. Data compiled from the literature and a comparison of institutional management were used to develop an algorithm for the surgical …

Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization For Chronic Subdural Hematoma: Predictors Of Clinical And Radiographic Failure From 636 Embolizations, Mohamed M Salem, Okkes Kuybu, Alex Nguyen Hoang, Ammad A Baig, Mirhojjat Khorasanizadeh, Cordell Baker, Joshua C Hunsaker, Aldo A Mendez, Gustavo Cortez, Jason M Davies, Sandra Narayanan, C Michael Cawley, Howard A Riina, Justin M Moore, Alejandro M Spiotta, Alexander A Khalessi, Brian M Howard, Ricardo Hanel, Omar Tanweer, Elad I Levy, Ramesh Grandhi, Michael J Lang, Adnan H Siddiqui, Peter Kan, Christopher S Ogilvy, Bradley A Gross, Ajith J Thomas, Brian T Jankowitz, Jan-Karl Burkhardt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background

Knowledge regarding predictors of clinical and radiographic failures of middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization (MMAE) treatment for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is limited.

Purpose

To identify predictors of MMAE treatment failure for CSDH.

Materials and Methods

In this retrospective study, consecutive patients who underwent MMAE for CSDH from February 2018 to April 2022 at 13 U.S. centers were included. Clinical failure was defined as hematoma reaccumulation and/or neurologic deterioration requiring rescue surgery. Radiographic failure was defined as a maximal hematoma thickness reduction less than 50% at last imaging (minimum 2 weeks of head CT follow-up). Multivariable logistic regression models …

A Model To Integrate Mental Health Services With Gynecological Care, Simerjeet Singh, Theresa A. Moore, Hannah White

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Half of the world’s population experiences changes in life relating to gynecological health which may involve stigmatized conditions. Stigma is defined as unfavorable societal beliefs about a topic which impacts healthcare significantly. Menopause is a stage 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual cycle and the menopausal transition (MT) is the years leading up to this stage. Symptoms of MT may include night sweats and hot flashes accompanied by psychological changes. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health condition that one in seven women experience after having a baby. PPD may occur during the first six months after delivery when …

Interaction Between Fluoxetine And Risperidone And Its Association With Clinical Outcomes In Schizophrenic Patients, Fitri Rachmaini, Dian Ayu Juwita, Rahmad Abdillah, Rezy Dwi Afrianti, Fatma Sri Wahyuni

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

The concurrent use of fluoxetine and risperidone to treat schizophrenia may result in drug interactions. This study aims to analyse the clinical outcomes of fluoxetine-risperidone therapy and the possibility of their interaction in schizophrenic patients. The clinical outcomes are patient status at the time of hospital discharge, the length of hospitalisation and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale- Excitement Component (PANSS-EC). This study was conducted prospectively in psychiatric ward of HB Saanin Mental Hospital from May to October 2021 and study subjects were selected using consecutive sampling technique with inclusion criteria. Forty-three patients were eligible for this study. Research data …

Genetic Loci Of Beta-Aminoisobutyric Acid Are Associated With Aging-Related Mild Cognitive Impairment, Einat Granot-Hershkovitz, Brian Spitzer, Yunju Yang, Wassim Tarraf, Bing Yu, Eric Boerwinkle, Myriam Fornage, Thomas H Mosley, Charles Decarli, Bruce S Kristal, Hector M González, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We studied the genetic associations of a previously developed Metabolomic Risk Score (MRS) for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and beta-aminoisobutyric acid metabolite (BAIBA)-the metabolite highlighted by results from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of the MCI-MRS, and assessed their association with MCI in datasets of diverse race/ethnicities. We first performed a GWAS for the MCI-MRS and BAIBA, in Hispanic/Latino adults (n = 3890) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). We identified ten independent genome-wide significant (p value <5 × 10-8) variants associated with MCI-MRS or BAIBA. Variants associated with the MCI-MRS are located in the Alanine-Glyoxylate Aminotransferase 2 (AGXT2 gene), which is known to be associated with BAIBA metabolism. Variants associated with BAIBA are located in the AGXT2 gene and in the SLC6A13 gene. Next, we tested the variants' association with MCI in independent datasets of n = 3178 HCHS/SOL older individuals, n = 3775 European Americans, and n = 1032 African Americans from the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) study. Variants were considered associated with MCI if their p value <0.05 in the meta-analysis of the three datasets and their direction of association was consistent with expectation. Rs16899972 and rs37369 from the AGXT2 region were associated with MCI. Mediation analysis supported the mediation effect of BAIBA between the two genetic variants and MCI (p value = 0.004 for causal mediated effect). In summary, genetic variants in the AGXT2 region are associated with MCI in Hispanic/Latino, African, and European American populations in the USA, and their effect is likely mediated by changes in BAIBA levels.

Experiencing Moral Distress Within The Intimate Partner Violence & Sexual Assault Workforce, Rachel J Voth Schrag, Sophia Fantus, Sarah Leat, Saltanat Childress, Leila Wood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Moral distress (MD) refers to the psychological disequilibrium that emerges when institutional policies and/or practices conflict with an individual's professional values and ethics. MD has been interrogated frequently in health care and ancillary medical settings, and has been identified as a critical barrier to enhanced organizational climate and patient care. However, little work has investigated experiences of MD among members of the intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) workforce.

METHODS: This study investigates MD in a sample of IPV and SV service providers via secondary analysis of 33 qualitative interviews conducted with service providers in the summer …

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss - A Life Changing Condition For Women, Denisa Oana Balalau, Fernanda-Ecaterina Augustin, Delia-Maria Bogheanu, Alin-Gabriel Negulescu, Romina-Marina Sima, Anca Silvia Dumitriu, Stana Paunica, Liana Ples

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is estimated to occur in 2.5% of women trying to conceive. Definition of RPL varies depending on used guideline. In Europe, RPL is defined as two or more lost pregnancies before 24 weeks’ gestation. Although many factors have been associated with a higher risk of recurrent miscarriage, the aetiology is unknown in about half of cases. Several factors have been related to recurrent pregnancy loss, such as: environmental, behavioral, genetic, endocrine, metabolic, autoimmune, anatomic, thrombophilia and male factor. Given the multitude of etiopathogenic factors, RPL frequently requires an interdisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment. By its …

The Relationship Between Quality Of Life And Functionality In Patients With Schizophrenia – A Preliminary Report, Vlad Dionisie, Mihnea Costin Manea, Manea Mirela, Lavinia Steluta Bonciu, Sorin Riga, Maria Gabriela Puiu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between quality of life and level of functioning in a group of Romanian patients with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional, observational, prospective study on 47 patients with schizophrenia was conducted. Socio-demographic and clinical data were documented and WHOQOL-BREF and Life Skills Profile-16 instruments were further administered. To examine the correlation between variables, Person correlation test was employed. The mean age of the sample was 38.32±12.32 years and 66% of the patients were males. Significant correlations were found between all aspects of the quality of life (physical health, psychological, social relationships and environmental health) and total …

Postpartum Depression; Associated Factors And Underdiagnosis, Andra Iancu, Valeria-Anca Pietrosel, Teodor Salmen, Cristina Ioana Bica, Ioana Păunică, Liliana Florina Andronache, Florentina Gherghiceanu, Cecilia Curis

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Post-partum depression is one of the most severe types of depression and can be developed at any age, no matter of cultural of social status. Objectives. To determine the factors associated with the psychological impact of pregnancy and to emphasize the psychological and psychiatric risks after giving birth for a woman. Materials and Methods. The study enrolled 35 patients diagnosed with postpartum depression that have been hospitalized in a tertiary-care center for psychiatric disorders between 2016 and 2020. Data were collected from patients’ observation charts. Results. The incidence of postpartum depression is higher in the age range 30-45 years old …

Management Of Anxiety And Depression In Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery, Mansour Jannati, Amir Aslani

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Depression and anxiety are common events in 30-40 percent of post coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients. Depression symptoms in patients with CAD are expected to be significantly more, comparing the public incidence rate. Impaired remedy after coronary artery events may partly be attributed to depression and anxiety. If anxiety continues, it may lead to elevate metabolism and oxygen consuming. High level of anxiety increases the pain sensation in post CABG patients. This paper aimed to review results and findings of previous studies in the field of anxiety and depression management of post coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Up …

Anxio-Depressive Disorders In A Pandemic Context: A Comparative Analysis: Year 2019 Versus 2020, Andreea Roxana Droahnă, Lavinia-Alexandra Moroianu, Valeria-Anca Pietroșel, Cristina Ioana Bica, Teodor Salmen, Cecilia Curis, Emanuele Maria Merlo, Roxana Adriana Stoica, Marius Moroianu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in increased rates of anxiety and depression worldwide. Objective. To comparatively evaluate factors associated with the psychological impact of Coronavirus disease between 2019 and the pandemic year 2020. Materials and Methods. The study was performed on a group of 3224 patients, of which 197 were hospitalized, selected from Jan 1st 2019 until 30th Dec 2020 in a tertiary care center for psychiatric disorders. Data were collected from the observation charts. Results. The incidence of anxiety disorders is higher in the age range 40-70 years with an average value of 53 years old. In …

A Phenomenological Take On Mirror Self-Face Perception In Schizophrenia, Giovanni Pennisi

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Studies concerning social deficits in schizophrenia has often been restrained to exploring facial recognition. Various investigations have shown that those diagnosed with schizophrenia have difficulties in perceiving the identities and emotions of those around them merely through observing their facial features. A few others have also taken into account the issue of self-face recognition in individuals with schizophrenia, finding that their capacity to associate photos or videos of their own face to themselves is hindered due to the illness. However, to my knowledge, only a few studies have so far delved into the intricacies of how individuals with schizophrenia or …

Rapid Escape Of New Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Variants From Ba2-Directed Antibody Responses, Aiste Dijokaite-Guraliuc, Raksha Das, Daming Zhou, Helen M Ginn, Chang Liu, Helen M E Duyvesteyn, Jiandong Huo, Rungtiwa Nutalai, Piyada Supasa, Muneeswaran Selvaraj, Thushan I De Silva, Megan Plowright, Thomas A H Newman, Hailey Hornsby, Alexander J Mentzer, Donal Skelly, Thomas G Ritter, Nigel Temperton, Paul Klenerman, Eleanor Barnes, Susanna J Dunachie, Optic Consortium, Cornelius Roemer, Thomas P Peacock, Neil G Paterson, Mark A Williams, David R Hall, Elizabeth E Fry, Juthathip Mongkolsapaya, Jingshan Ren, David I Stuart, Gavin R Screaton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In November 2021, Omicron BA.1, containing a raft of new spike mutations, emerged and quickly spread globally. Intense selection pressure to escape the antibody response produced by vaccines or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection then led to a rapid succession of Omicron sub-lineages with waves of BA.2 and then BA.4/5 infection. Recently, many variants have emerged such as BQ.1 and XBB, which carry up to 8 additional receptor-binding domain (RBD) amino acid substitutions compared with BA.2. We describe a panel of 25 potent monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generated from vaccinees suffering BA.2 breakthrough infections. Epitope mapping shows potent …

Barriers To Care In Juvenile Localized And Systemic Scleroderma: An Exploratory Survey Study Of Caregivers’ Perspectives, Leigh A Stubbs, Andrew M Ferry, Danielle Guffey, Christina Loccke, Erin Moriarty Wade, Pamela Pour, Kaveh Ardalan, Peter Chira, Ingrid M Ganske, Daniel Glaser, Gloria Higgins, Nadia Luca, Katharine F Moore, Vidya Sivaraman, Katie Stewart, Natalia Vasquez-Canizares, Raegan D Hunt, Renata S Maricevich, Kathryn S Torok, Suzanne C Li, Childhood Arthritis, Rheumatology Research Alliance (Carra) Scleroderma Workgroup

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Juvenile localized scleroderma (LS) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are rare pediatric conditions often associated with severe morbidities. Delays in diagnosis are common, increasing the risk for permanent damage and worse outcomes. This study explored caregiver perspectives on barriers they encountered while navigating diagnosis and care for their child's scleroderma.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, caregivers of juvenile LS or SSc patients were recruited from a virtual family scleroderma educational conference and a juvenile scleroderma online interest group. The survey queried respondents about their child's condition and factors affecting diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTS: The response rate was 61% (73/120), with …

Piloting An Oral History Approach To Investigate Cancer Perspectives Among Residents Of Appalachian Kentucky, Courtney Martin, Lauren Hudson, Nathan L. Vanderford

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Kentucky ranks first in the U.S. in overall cancer incidence and mortality rates. Areas of the state that fall within the Appalachian Region, along Kentucky’s eastern border, experience disproportionately high rates of cancer compared to non-Appalachian counties.

Purpose: This pilot study investigates whether oral history interviews can be used to understand perspectives on cancer among residents of Appalachian Kentucky.

Methods: In 2020, participants (n = 5) who identified as being from and/or having strong connections to Appalachian Kentucky were recruited to participate in this pilot study. Participants included individuals working in cancer-related fields, oncology professionals, and those with personal …

Case Series: Continued Remission Of Ptsd Symptoms After Discontinuation Of Prazosin, Christie Richardson, Jonathan Yuh, Jing Su, Martin Forsberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating chronic illness that affects 6 out of 100 adults after a severe trauma. The alpha-adrenergic antagonist prazosin, which is prescribed off-label for flashbacks and nightmares due to trauma, is often continued indefinitely due to reports of symptoms returning upon discontinuation. There is no standard guidance for a trial of discontinuation of prazosin due to intolerance or side effects. In this case series, three patients are started on prazosin leading to remission of trauma-related symptoms, and symptoms continue to remit after treatment for an average of about 2 years followed by discontinuation of the medication. …

Prevention And Education In Medication Assisted Treatment Facilities, Lindsey Mccartt

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Introduction and Background: Between 1999 and 2014 the number of patients in the labor and delivery that were on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) quadrupled. The rate of unintended pregnancies in pregnant patients of mOUD is at a tremendous high due to inconsistencies in the use of reliable contraception in this population.

Purpose Statement: To reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome there is a need for prevention and required education for men and women in medication-assisted facilities.

Literature Review: Twenty research studies were reviewed and evaluated. These articles were …

Health Disparities In Multiple Sclerosis Among Hispanic And Black Populations In The United States, Michael Z Moore, Carlos A Pérez, George J Hutton, Hemali Patel, Fernando X Cuascut

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an acquired demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Historically, research on MS has focused on White persons with MS. This preponderance of representation has important possible implications for minority populations with MS, from developing effective therapeutic agents to understanding the role of unique constellations of social determinants of health. A growing body of literature involving persons of historically underrepresented races and ethnicities in the field of multiple sclerosis is assembling. Our purpose in this narrative review is to highlight two populations in the United States: Black and Hispanic persons with multiple sclerosis. We will …