Medical Specialties Commons^™

Antibiotic Stewardship In Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Shah Z. Ali, Jose Campo Maldonado

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Antibiotic use during inpatient hospitalizations have a significant impact on both patient care and healthcare costs. Using data collected over a one month period in 2019 from inpatient hospitalizations, we aim to determine the most common indicated uses for vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, along with the average days of therapy for their use in treating skin and soft tissue infections.

Association Between Race/Ethnicity And Covid-19 Disease Outcomes In The United States: A Qualitative Systematic Review Of The Literature, Jacob Smith

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background/Objective: As studies have shown disparities in coronavirus disease-19 prevalence and severity, we sought to evaluate differences in outcomes of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection by race/ethnicity.

Design: Systematic review

Data Source: Studies from PubMed were included.

Review methods: Articles published in English language from January 1, 2019 through March 22, 2020. Studies included were observational studies that examined racial or ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes in the United States. One reviewer performed data extraction.

Results: Out of a possible 1,944 articles, 99 observational studies (82 individual-level and 17 population-level) were included. Differential rates of hospitalization or otherwise severe illness …

Spinal Cord Mri Analysis Techniques In Post-Stroke Patients, Sarvani Uppati, Sravani Mannuru, Kelsey Baker

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Stroke, also termed cerebral infarction, results in neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in the brain at area of the infarct and peri-infarct regions. Recent research has shown involvement of alternate motor pathways of the spinal cord in disease progression. Creating optimal techniques to study spinal cord MRI can give way to higher prognostic methods and enhanced treatment modalities in post-stroke patients. Here, we will review current research proposing various spinal cord MRI analysis techniques in different neurological conditions that can be applied to analyzing post-stroke spinal cord.

Improving Ob Trauma Care Using A Standardized Protocol, Johanna Renee Ridley, Madeline Elaine Huff, Abaigeal Thompson

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Introduction

Timely evaluation of a pregnant woman experiencing trauma has significant implications. To optimize trauma care for obstetrical patients, our Level I Trauma Center at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance initiated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which puts an OBGYN at bedside within 15 minutes of arrival. This involves calling an ‘OB Trauma Alert’ and arranging expedited travel to the center. We performed a quality improvement initiative to evaluate operational compliance.

Methods

The IRB deemed this project non-regulated research. Therefore, we reviewed obstetrical trauma admissions and subsequent deliveries of pregnant women >20 weeks presenting within 2 years before SOP implementation through …

The Effect Of Implementing Ob Trauma Activation Standards On Maternal & Fetal Outcomes, Johanna Renee Ridley, Abaigeal Thompson

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

The risk of trauma during pregnancy is not well established in the United States but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The overall goal of this study is to to initiate a formal ongoing process by which DHR can utilize objective measures to monitor and evaluate the quality of OB trauma services. We will use a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach to evaluate the effect of implementing an OB Trauma Activation Procedure, which places an OB team (obstetrician and labor RN) at the bedside within 15 minutes on maternal and fetal outcomes. 1,285 subjects were initially filtered to remove …

Chromosome Xq23 Is Associated With Lower Atherogenic Lipid Concentrations And Favorable Cardiometabolic Indices, Pradeep Natarajan, Akhil Pampana, Sarah E. Graham, Sanni Ruotsalainen, Paul S. De Vries, Jai G. Broome, Juan M. Peralta, John Blangero, Joanne E. Curran, James P. Pirruccello

School of Medicine Publications

Autosomal genetic analyses of blood lipids have yielded key insights for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, X chromosome genetic variation is understudied for blood lipids in large sample sizes. We now analyze genetic and blood lipid data in a high-coverage whole X chromosome sequencing study of 65,322 multi-ancestry participants and perform replication among 456,893 European participants. Common alleles on chromosome Xq23 are strongly associated with reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides (min P = 8.5 × 10-72), with similar effects for males and females. Chromosome Xq23 lipid-lowering alleles are associated with reduced odds for CHD among 42,545 cases and …

Potential Perioperative Complications Due To Difference In Timing Of Systemic Heparinization During Ruptured Aneurysm Coiling, Rouzbeh Kotaki, Ameer E. Hassan, Wondwossen G. Tekle

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Potential Perioperative Complications Due To Differences in Timing Of Systemic Heparin Distribution During Ruptured Aneurysm Coiling

Introduction:

In general, systematic heparin anticoagulation is standard in regards to neurovascular intervention. When coiling ruptured aneurysms, many neurointerventionalists have their own protocol as to timing of systemic heparinization. There is ample research and literature reviewing the frequency of perioperative events, predictors and outcomes, as well as the efficacy in the use of anticoagulants and/or antiplatelets before, during, and after neurovascular procedures to prevent adverse outcomes. However, there currently exists a dearth of research in regards to timing of distribution of heparin intraoperatively and …

Neurodegeneration Difference Between The Non-Lesioned And Lesioned Hemisphere In Stroke Patient, N. Cortez, Elle Wynn, Kelsey Baker

School of Medicine Publications

Stroke is the 4th leading cause of death in Hispanics. It has generally been suggested that neurodegeneration is isolated to the lesioned hemisphere. However, recent evidence has suggested that the non-lesioned side of the brain may also undergo neurodegeneration. Here, we sought to evaluate the amount of neurodegeneration in the lesioned and non-lesioned hemisphere in chronic stroke patients and identify the impact of stroke size and location

The Key To Simplified Management Of An Undescended Parathyroid Adenoma [La Clave Para El Manejo Simplificado De Un Adenoma Paratiroideo No Descendido], Humberto Ruiz-Hernández, Joyce Meza-Venegas, Samuel K. Snyder

School of Medicine Publications

Undescended parathyroid adenoma is a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism that happens < 1% of cases. If not suspected, it can lead to a negative bilateral parathyroid exploration and extensive iatrogenic trauma. We propose that with proper imaging the correct diagnosis can be established to simplify surgical management. We describe two cases of patients who underwent a targeted neck exploration due to an undescended parathyroid adenoma diagnosed with an appropriate preoperative imaging protocol. With an appropriate imaging protocol for primary hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid hormone aspirates, an undescended parathyroid adenoma can be primarily diagnosed to guide a focused parathyroidectomy

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El adenoma paratiroideo no descendido ocasiona hiperparatiroidismo primario en <1% de los casos. Si no se sospecha, puede llevar a exploraciones negativas y trauma iatrogénico extenso. Proponemos que, con un protocolo imagenológico adecuado, se puede realizar un diagnóstico correcto, simplificando el abordaje quirúrgico. Describimos dos casos en que se realizó una exploración de cuello dirigida debido a un adenoma paratiroideo no descendido diagnosticado con un protocolo de imagen preoperatorio apropiado. Un protocolo de imagen apropiado para hiperparatiroidismo primario y aspirados de PTH pueden diagnosticar de manera inicial un adenoma paratiroideo no descendido para guiar una paratiroidectomía dirigida.

Involvement Of Tgfβ Signaling Pathway In Oxidative Stress And Diabetic Retinopathy, Reanna Rodriguez, Kristine L. Lowe, Megan Keniry, Andrew Tsin

School of Medicine Publications

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness in the U.S. However, not much is known of underlying molecular mechanism and how oxidative stress contributes to its development. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of TGFβ signaling pathway on the effect of oxidative stress on VEGF secretion and viability of retinal cells. VEGF is the hallmark that exacerbates DR progression in prolonged diabetes. Some major concerns that have arisen are the underlying effects of antioxidants in elevating VEGF secretion in diabetes. In this study, we evaluated how hypoxia (or low oxygen) impacts viability and VEGF secretion using …

Internet-Based Cognitive–Behavioural Therapy For Tinnitus: Secondary Analysis To Examine Predictors Of Outcomes, Hansapani Rodrigo, Eldré W. Beukes, Gerhard Andersson, Vinaya Manchaiah

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives The current study examined predictors of outcomes of internet-based cognitive–behavioural therapy (ICBT) for individuals with tinnitus.

Design Secondary analysis of intervention studies.

Setting Internet-based guided tinnitus intervention provided in the UK.

Participants 228 individuals who underwent ICBT.

Interventions ICBT.

Primary and secondary outcome measures The key predictor variables included demographic, tinnitus, hearing-related and treatment-related variables as well as clinical factors (eg, anxiety, depression, insomnia), which can have an impact on the treatment outcome. A 13-point reduction in Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) scores has been defined as a successful outcome.

Results Of the 228 subjects who were included in the …

Case Series: Resolution Of Vertigo Symptoms In Patients With Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Following Eustachian Tube Dilation., Macaulay A. Ojeaga Jr., Vincent Honrubia

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Abstract

Objective/hypothesis: This study aims to demonstrate that Eustachian Tube Dilation is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction suffering from vertigo.

Study design: A retrospective chart review.

Methods: This case series analyzes the medical records of 5 patients who underwent Eustachian tube dilation for chronic vertigo secondary to Eustachian tube dysfunction. The charts of patient initial, perioperative, and post-operative clinical encounters were reviewed. Patients’ age and demographic information were also reviewed.

Results: A total of 5 patient encounters were investigated. The cohort included one male and four females. The average age of patients evaluated was …

Treating Ms After Surviving Pml: Discrete Strategies For Rescue, Remission, And Recovery Patient 1: From The National Multiple Sclerosis Society Case Conference Proceedings, Nidhiben Anadani, Megan Hyland, Roberto A. Cruz, Robert Lisak, Kathleen Costello, Eugene O. Major, Yasir Jassam, Ethan Meltzer, Thomas C. Varkey, Matthew S. Parsons

School of Medicine Publications

A 38-year-old woman with MS receiving natalizumab presented to the neurology clinic with the complaint of a new neurologic symptom.

Role Of Nutraceuticals In Covid-19 Mediated Liver Dysfunction, Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, Anyssa Rodriguez, Murali M. Yallapu, Acharan S. Narula, Sanjaya K. Satapathy, Vijian Dhevan, Subhash C. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi

School of Medicine Publications

COVID-19 is known as one of the deadliest pandemics of the century. The rapid spread of this deadly virus at incredible speed has stunned the planet and poses a challenge to global scientific and medical communities. Patients with COVID-19 are at an increased risk of co-morbidities associated with liver dysfunction and injury. Moreover, hepatotoxicity induced by antiviral therapy is gaining importance and is an area of great concern. Currently, alternatives therapies are being sought to mitigate hepatic damage, and there has been growing interest in the research on bioactive phytochemical agents (nutraceuticals) due to their versatility in health benefits reported …

What's Going On With The Spine? Evaluation Of Alternative Sensorimotor Degeneration Post-Stroke, Sravani Mannuru, Sarvani Uppati, Kelsey Baker

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. Previous research has shown a strong correlation between damage to the corticospinal tract (CST) and motor deficits in post-stroke patients. However, recent research suggests that other sensorimotor pathways (rubrospinal tract, medial reticulospinal tract) are damaged after stroke and may also contribute to motor dysfunction. Here, we will review current research suggesting that alternate sensorimotor pathways are involved in post-stroke motor dysfunction and outline possible avenues for future research.

Lyopreserved Amniotic Membrane Is Cellularly And Clinically Similar To Cryopreserved Construct For Treating Foot Ulcers, Kathryn E. Davis, Amanda L. Killeen, David Farrar, Katherine M. Raspovic, Zachary D. Berriman-Rozen, Matthew Malone, Lawrence A. Lavery

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

We compared cellular viability between cryopreserved and lyopreserved amniotic membranes and clinical outcomes of the lyopreserved construct in a prospective cohort study of 40 patients with neuropathic foot ulcers. Patients received weekly application of lyopreserved membrane for 12 weeks with standard weekly debridement and offloading. We evaluated the proportion of foot ulcers that closed, time to closure, closure trajectories, and infection during therapy. We used chi-square tests for dichotomous variables and independent t-tests for continuous variables with an alpha of α = .10. Cellular viability was equivalent between cryo- and lyopreserved amniotic tissues. Clinically, 48% of subjects' wounds closed in …

The Effect Of Continuous Diffusion Of Oxygen Treatment On Cytokines, Perfusion, Bacterial Load, And Healing In Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Lawrence A. Lavery, Amanda L. Killeen, David Farrar, Yucel Akgul, Peter A. Crisologo, Matthew Malone, Kathryn E. Davis

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

To evaluate continuous diffusion of oxygen therapy (CDO) on cytokines, perfusion, and bacterial load in diabetic foot ulcers we evaluated 23 patients for 3 weeks. Tissues biopsies were obtained at each visit to evaluate cytokines and quantitative bacterial cultures. Perfusion was measured with hyperspectral imaging and transcutaneous oxygen. We used paired T tests to compare continuous variables and independent T tests to compare healers and nonhealers. There was an increase from baseline to week 1 in TGF-β (P = .008), TNF-α (P = .014), VEGF (P = .008), PDGF (P = .087), and IGF-1 (P …

Intraoperative Icg-Nir Fluorescence Angiography Visualization Of Testicular Perfusion In Operations For Testicular Torsion, Colton D. Wayne, Mohammad A. Emran, Leon Smith-Harrison, P. Stephen Almond, Haroon I. Patel, Shannon Koehler

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Purpose: Indocyanine Green (ICG) near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence angiography is used in assessing testicular perfusion after reduction of testicular torsion to assess tissue viability.

Introduction: Determination of viability of a testicle after reduction of a testicular torsion has been performed by numerous methods including visual assessment, Doppler ultrasound, and cutting the testicular capsule. Each of these has limitations, are not always reproducible, and may involve damage to the testicle and confusion of capsular blood flow for internal perfusion. A possible alternative to these methods is the use of ICG-NIR fluorescence angiography. ICG was FDA-approved in 1959 and has been …

Mitigating Alemtuzumab-Associated Autoimmunity In Ms: A "Whack-A-Mole" B-Cell Depletion Strategy, Ethan Meltzer, Sarah Campbell, Benjamin Ehrenfeld, Roberto A. Cruz, Lawrence Steinman, Matthew S. Parsons, Scott S. Zamvil, Elliot M. Frohman, Teresa C. Frohman

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: To determine whether the punctuated administration of low-dose rituximab, temporally linked to B-cell hyperrepopulation (defined when the return of CD19+ B cells approximates 40%-50% of baseline levels as measured before alemtuzumab treatment inception), can mitigate alemtuzumab-associated secondary autoimmunity.

Methods: In this hypothesis-driven pilot study, 10 patients received low-dose rituximab (50-150 mg/m2), a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, after either their first or second cycles of alemtuzumab. These patients were then routinely assessed for the development of autoimmune disorders and safety signals related to the use of dual monoclonal antibody therapy.

Results: Five patients received at least 1 IV infusion of …

Assessing Disease Severity Of Diabetic Retinopathy Using Novel Graphical Interpretation Of Flicker Electroretinogram, Anjalee Choudhury, Jonas Moses, Victor Gonzalez

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Purpose: To assess the clinical value of reporting full-field electroretinogram (eg, flicker ERG) findings graphically to determine the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) within an office-based setting.

Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included and classified into varying degrees of DR based on presence and severity. Flicker ERG responses were recorded and compared between groups.

Results: Between the varying disease stages, significant differences in the mean magnitude and phase values were found. There was also a significant difference between the proportions of the magnitude and phase color-coded frequencies between groups of severity and threat to …

Tough Decisions During The Covid 19 Pandemic: A Frail Latino Patient, Irma Huayanay, Stephanie Luu

School of Medicine Publications

The pandemic of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) had overwhelmed the healthcare system worldwide with multiple ethical dilemmas. Several tools have been used to assess risk factors in these patients. One of them, the Clinical Frailty scale, has shown good correlation between the patient functional status and hospital stay with overall mortality. We present a case were the Clinical Frailty Scale was used to assess patient management and goals of care.

Long Non-Coding Rna (Lncrna) As A New Biomarker For Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Hcc) Progression And Drug Resistance, Areeb Masood, Sanjaya Satapathy, Manish Tripathi

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignant liver tumor that commonly occurs as a progression of chronic liver inflammation due to long-standing viral hepatitis infection, toxins, metabolic conditions, and congenital disorders. In 2018, HCC was the 4th leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, accounting for approximately 780,000 deaths in total.

HCC’s prognosis is directly correlated with early detection. Unfortunately, HCC has an asymptomatic pattern of growth in the early stages of the disease which makes early detection challenging. When HCC progresses to advanced stages, it leaves clinicians with limited therapeutic and curative options, leading to high rates of morbidity and …

Telehealth Care And Its Role In Undergraduate Medical Education In The Covid-19 Era., Peter J. Gonzalez, Dustin J. Paul

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background

On March 17, 2020, the American Association of Medical Colleges issued a statement which “strongly supports medical schools pausing all student clinical rotations, effective immediately, until at least March 31.” The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine immediately withdrew third- and fourth-year students from clinical rotation sites, and developed alternative, online-based clerkship curricula to complete for the remainder of the academic year. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many challenges to Undergraduate Medical Education, and has deprived upper-level students of foundational, in-person, clinical experiences. The UTRGV School of Medicine Department of Neurology is among the first …

Modification Of Current Techniques: Increasing Nipple Projection In Patients Receiving Nipple-Areolar Complex (Nac) Reconstruction, Annalisa Lopez, Aidee C. Nunez, Mauricio De La Garza

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women aside from nonmelanoma skin cancer; 276,480 new cases of breast cancer are estimated to be diagnosed by the end of 2020.1 An estimated 76% of patients with stage III or IV breast cancer pursue mastectomy as part of their treatment.2 Recent breast reconstruction trends reveal an upsurge in the percentage of patients pursuing breast reconstruction following mastectomy recent studies reveal that 54-63% of women undergoing mastectomy decide to pursue breast reconstruction.3 Breast reconstruction is conventionally considered complete after the restoration of the Nipple-areolar complex (NAC), 71% of patients consider a …

Retrospective Study Examining Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome In Covid+ Patients, Lily Chen, Areeb Masood, Ayman Khaddam, Alyssa Chen, Ildiko Lingvay, Henry Kwang

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected millions of people all over the world with worse proven outcomes in those with certain comorbid conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary complications. The Rio Grande Valley located in South Texas with a largely Hispanic population has been hit especially hard during this pandemic with over 3,200 virus-related deaths. This region’s high population of diabetic and obese patients is likely correlated with the especially high mortality rate. While it is understood the impact that obesity has on worsening health outcomes, further research is needed to better understand whether more adverse COVID-19 …

Progressive Lowering Of Transverse Mastectomy Scars Onto The Inframammary Fold: A Novel Technique To Simultaneously Improve Cosmesis While Performing Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction, Annalisa Lopez

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

The post-reconstruction appearance of mastectomy scars is a contributing factor that affects how patients perceive themselves after breast reconstruction.1 Patients that undergo a skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) may often have a periareolar incision which can leave an unappealing transverse scar. Regardless of whether reconstruction is performed in a delayed or immediate fashion, the transverse mastectomy scar itself commonly lies in the center of the breast near the reconstructed nipple-areolar complex, causing psychological trauma and continued patient dissatisfaction.2 This also may lead to post-reconstruction multiple mastectomy scar revisions. This research aims to describe a novel technique to reliably avoid the presence of …

Multi National Survey Of The Advice Given To Muslim Kidney Graft Recipients By Muslim Nephrologists About Lifestyle And Religious Rituals With Potential Medical Risk, Ziad M. S. Arabi, Elwaleed A. Elhassan, Mubarak I. Abdalla, Mahfooz A. Farooqui, Atif A. Mateen, Saleh Kaysi, Syed A. Alam, Saif A. Khan, Mohamed F. Elmuzaini, Mourad M. Alsabbagh, Abdulrahman R. Altheaby

School of Medicine Publications

Muslim renal transplant recipients often ask their physicians if performing certain lifestyles or religious obligations may be harmful to their health. Permissibility as advised by an expert Muslim physician is considered as being religiously accepted. A cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted enquiring what nephrologists would advise their transplant recipients to do, about some lifestyles and religious duties. Fifty-eight nephrologists responded to the survey. Of these, 77% routinely follow-up post-transplant patients; 34% were from Saudi Arabia, 18% from the USA, and 20% from Pakistan. Fifty-four percent of the respondents would let patients with stable graft function fast during Ramadan, while 20% …

Part Ii. High-Dose Methotrexate With Leucovorin Rescue For Severe Covid-19: An Immune Stabilization Strategy For Sars-Cov-2 Induced 'Panic' Attack, Elliot M. Frohman, Nicole R. Villemarette-Pittman, Roberto A. Cruz, Reid Longmuir, Vernon Rowe, Elizabeth S. Rowe, Thomas C. Varkey, Lawrence Steinman, Scott S. Zamvil, Teresa C. Frohman

School of Medicine Publications

Here, in Part II of a duology on the characterization and potential treatment for COVID-19, we characterize the application of an innovative treatment regimen for the prevention of the transition from mild to severe COVID-19, as well as detail an intensive immunotherapy intervention hypothesis. We propose as a putative randomized controlled trial that high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin (HDMTX-LR) rescue can abolish 'PANIC', thereby 'left-shifting' severe COVID-19 patients to the group majority of those infected with SARS-CoV-2, who are designated as having mild, even asymptomatic, disease. HDMTX-LR is endowed with broadly pleiotropic properties and is a repurposed, generic, inexpensive, and widely …

Intoxication With Endogenous Angiotensin Ii: A Covid-19 Hypothesis, Adonis Sfera, Carolina Osorio, Nyla Jafri, Eddie Lee Diaz, Jose Campo Maldonado

School of Medicine Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread rapidly around the globe. However, despite its high pathogenicity and transmissibility, the severity of the associated disease, COVID-19, varies widely. While the prognosis is favorable in most patients, critical illness, manifested by respiratory distress, thromboembolism, shock, and multi-organ failure, has been reported in about 5% of cases. Several studies have associated poor COVID-19 outcomes with the exhaustion of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells, lymphopenia, and elevated serum levels of D-dimer. In this article, we propose a common pathophysiological denominator for these negative prognostic markers, endogenous, angiotensin II toxicity. We hypothesize …

Diabetic Retinopathy: Targeting Bigh3 To Develop Novel Molecular Therapies, Reanna Rodriguez, Anjalee Choudhury, Daniela Gonzalez, Cristian Mercado, Andrew Tsin

School of Medicine Publications

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes due to damage of blood vessels in the retina. Aside from being a major cause of blindness in the world, DR also has a significant impact on quality of life. Although there are methods to delay the progression of DR, there are no existing therapeutic regimens for early intervention. Thus, it is critical to develop cost-effective therapies towards preventing DR development.