Critical Care Commons^™

Real-World Safety Of Neurohormonal Antagonist Initiation Among Older Adults Following A Heart Failure Hospitalization, Parag Goyal, Andrew R Zullo, Barbara Gladders, Chukwuma Onyebeke, Min Ji Kwak, Larry A Allen, Emily B Levitan, Monika M Safford, Lauren Gilstrap

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

AIMS: To optimize guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure, patients may require the initiation of multiple neurohormonal antagonists (NHAs) during and following hospitalization. The safety of this approach for older adults is not well established.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted an observational cohort study of 207 223 Medicare beneficiaries discharged home following a hospitalization for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (2008-2015). We performed Cox proportional hazards regression to examine the association between the count of NHAs initiated within 90 days of hospital discharge (as a time-varying exposure) and all-cause mortality, all-cause rehospitalization, and fall-related adverse events over the …

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Maintains Hepatic Mitochondrial Homeostasis In Mice, Mi Jeong Heo, Ji Ho Suh, Sung Ho Lee, Kyle L Poulsen, Yu A An, Bhagavatula Moorthy, Sean M Hartig, David D Moore, Kang Ho Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Mitophagy removes damaged mitochondria to maintain cellular homeostasis. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) expression in the liver plays a crucial role in supporting normal liver functions, but its impact on mitochondrial function is unclear. Here, we identified a new role of AhR in the regulation of mitophagy to control hepatic energy homeostasis.

METHODS: In this study, we utilized primary hepatocytes from AhR knockout (KO) mice and AhR knockdown AML12 hepatocytes. An endogenous AhR ligand, kynurenine (Kyn), was used to activate AhR in AML12 hepatocytes. Mitochondrial function and mitophagy process were comprehensively assessed by MitoSOX and mt-Keima fluorescence imaging, Seahorse XF-based …

Prognostic Value Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Viral Load And Antibodies In Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19, Rebecca N Bauer, Anastasia Teterina, Haridha Shivram, Jacqueline Mcbride, Carrie M Rosenberger, Fang Cai, Min Bao, Larry Tsai, Oliver Gordon, Ivan T Lee, Jeffrey J Wallin, Danielle Porter, Kavita Juneja, Gregory Camus, Ivan O Rosas, Steffen Wildum

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Observational studies have identified the potential prognostic value for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, viral load in nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs produced inconsistent results in prognostic analyses, and the prognostic value of viral load or antibodies has not been confirmed in large clinical trials. COVACTA and REMDACTA were double-blind, randomized, controlled trials with a combined enrollment of 1078 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 treated with tocilizumab or placebo in COVACTA or tocilizumab plus remdesivir or placebo plus remdesivir in REMDACTA. We assessed the potential prognostic value of NP and serum …

Characterization Of Antibiotic Susceptibility Profiles Of Extensively- And Pan-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Clinical Isolates, Rachel Carr, Justin Halim, Rebecca Fliorent, Henry Fraimow, Dejan Nikolic, Valerie Carabetta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen common in intensive care units (ICUs), particularly among immunocompromised individuals. Nosocomial A. baumannii infections have become increasingly problematic in recent years, as these bacteria rapidly acquire antibiotic resistance, leading to the emergence of multidrug, extensively drug and pan drug-resistant (MDR, XDR, and PDR, respectively) isolates. Recently, Cooper University Hospital (CUH) experienced a large increase in highly drug-resistant A. baumannii infections, which had a mortality rate of 60%. Oftentimes, physicians had to turn to combinations of drugs with no experimental verification or historically shelved antibiotics, such as the polymyxins, in a desperate attempt to save …

Candidate Biomarkers As Predictors Of Future Kidney Disease And Cardiovascular Dysfunction In Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes, Fida Bacha, Laure El Ghormli, Barbara H Braffett, Amy S Shah, Santica M Marcovina, Lorraine E Levitt Katz, Steven M Willi, Sonia Caprio, Ruban Dhaliwal, Samuel S Gidding

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

AIMS: Evaluate changes in circulating biomarkers as predictors of kidney disease, and cardiac/vascular dysfunction in participants from the Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study.

METHODS: Candidate biomarkers were assessed annually in 507 participants over a mean follow-up of 6.9 ± 2.4 years. Moderate albuminuria was defined as urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g and hyperfiltration as eGFR ≥ 135 mL/min/1.73 m

RESULTS: At baseline, 35.7% were male, with a mean age 13.9 years, diabetes duration 7.8 months, and HbA1c 6.0%. Higher concentrations of E-selectin and proinsulin were associated with incident moderate albuminuria and hyperfiltration. …

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Modulates Clinical Outcomes Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Large Longitudinal Veterans’ Dataset Report, Ritwick Agrawal, Amir Sharafkhaneh, Vijay Nambi, Ahmed Bahammam, Javad Razjouyan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: While the longer-term Obstructive Sleep apnea (OSA)-related intermittent hypoxia (IH) leads to various comorbidities, it has become increasingly evident that OSA confers protective advantages during and after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We hypothesized in patients who were admitted with acute MI, the presence of OSA is associated with lower in-hospital mortality compared to those without a prior diagnosis of OSA.

METHODS: In this nationwide retrospective study utilizing Veterans Health Administration records, we included patients hospitalized for MI with a history of sleep disorders from 1999 to 2020. We divided patients into two cohorts: those with OSA and those without …

Interleukin-33 Facilitates Liver Regeneration Through Serotonin-Involved Gut-Liver Axis, Yankai Wen, Christoph Emontzpohl, Long Xu, Constance L Atkins, Jong-Min Jeong, Yang Yang, Kangho Kim, Chuan Wu, Shizuo Akira, Cynthia Ju

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Insufficient liver regeneration causes post-hepatectomy liver failure and small-for-size syndrome. Identifying therapeutic targets to enhance hepatic regenerative capacity remains urgent. Recently, increased IL-33 was observed in patients undergoing liver resection and in mice after partial hepatectomy (PHx). The present study aims to investigate the role of IL-33 in liver regeneration after PHx and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms.

APPROACH AND RESULTS: We performed PHx in IL-33 -/- , suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) -/- , and wild-type control mice, and found deficiency of IL-33 or its receptor ST2 delayed liver regeneration. The insufficient liver regeneration could be …

Death Due To Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia And Systemic Symptoms (Dress) Syndrome: A Case Report, Samantha P. Sternad, Jane Pangburn, Chad Johnston, David Rowe

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a life-threatening, multi-organ adverse drug reaction with an incidence of 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10 000 highrisk drug exposures.

Case Presentation

An elderly female presented to the hospital with progressive weakness and a diffuse erythematous macular rash covering most of her body that started 3 days prior. Over the next 3 days, the patient quickly deteriorated, developing disorientation with acute onset left-sided weakness, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, liver and kidney failure, and hypoxia. Clinical and histological changes supported the diagnosis of DRESS syndrome caused by intravenous (IV) ampicillin …

Impact Of Risk Factors On The Evolution Of Severe Acute Pancreatitis, Andra Maria Trotea, Raluca Grigorescu, Dragos Serban, Radu Palade, Simona Balasescu, Cristian Mihai Branescu, Daniel Radu, Corneliu Tudor, Tiberiu Alexandru Trotea

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Introduction. Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is an acute inflammatory condition of the pancreas with increasing incidence and mortality rates in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of age, comorbidities, and different scoring systems on the complications and outcomes of SAP. Materials and Methods. A retrospective study was conducted on 161 patients diagnosed and treated for SAP at the Bucharest University Hospital in the intensive care unit (ICU), in the period 2014-2021. The impact of risk factors for the development of SAP, occurrence of complications (respiratory, cardiac, etc.), length of hospital stays and mortality was …

Update On The Role Of Feno In Asthma Management, Neveda Murugesan, Damini Saxena, Arundhati Dileep, Muhammad Adrish, Nicola A Hanania

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Asthma is a heterogenous disorder characterized by presence of different phenotypes and endotypes. Up to 10% of the individuals suffer from severe asthma and are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a cost-effective, point of care biomarker that is used to detect type 2 airway inflammation. Guidelines have proposed to measure FeNO as an adjunct to diagnostic evaluation in individuals with suspected asthma and to monitor airway inflammation. FeNO has lower sensitivity, suggesting that it may not be a good biomarker to rule out asthma. FeNO may also be used to predict response …

Cc16 Augmentation Reduces Exaggerated Copd-Like Disease In Cc16-Deficient Mice, Joselyn Rojas-Quintero, Maria Eugenia Laucho-Contreras, Xiaoyun Wang, Quynh-Anh Fucci, Patrick R Burkett, Se-Jin Kim, Duo Zhang, Yohannes Tesfaigzi, Yuhong Li, Abhiram R Bhashyam, Zhang Li, Haider Khamas, Bartolome Celli, Aprile L Pilon, Francesca Polverino, Caroline A Owen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Low Club Cell 16 kDa protein (CC16) plasma levels are linked to accelerated lung function decline in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cigarette smoke-exposed (CS-exposed) Cc16-/- mice have exaggerated COPD-like disease associated with increased NF-κB activation in their lungs. It is unclear whether CC16 augmentation can reverse exaggerated COPD in CS-exposed Cc16-/- mice and whether increased NF-κB activation contributes to the exaggerated COPD in CS-exposed Cc16-/- lungs. CS-exposed WT and Cc16-/- mice were treated with recombinant human CC16 (rhCC16) or an NF-κB inhibitor versus vehicle beginning at the midpoint of the exposures. COPD-like disease and NF-κB activation were …

Mortality Patterns Associated With Central Sleep Apnea Among Veterans: A Large, Retrospective, Longitudinal Report, Ritwick Agrawal, Amir Sharafkhaneh, Daniel J Gottlieb, Sara Nowakowski, Javad Razjouyan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is associated with high mortality. Current knowledge stems from studies with limited sample size (fewer than 100 subjects) and in homogeneous populations such as heart failure (HF).

Objectives

To address this knowledge gap, we compared the mortality pattern and time to death between the CSA and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients in the large Veterans Health Administration patient population using the big data analytic approach.

Methods

This is a retrospective study using national Veterans Health Administration electronic medical records from October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2020. We grouped the patients with underlying sleep disorders …

Electrical Stimulation To Regain Lower Extremity Muscle Perfusion And Endurance In Patients With Post-Acute Sequelae Of Sars Cov-2: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Alejandro Zulbaran-Rojas, Myeounggon Lee, Rasha O Bara, Areli Flores-Camargo, Gil Spitz, M G Finco, Amir Behzad Bagheri, Dipaben Modi, Fidaa Shaib, Bijan Najafi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Muscle deconditioning and impaired vascular function in the lower extremities (LE) are among the long‐term symptoms experienced by COVID‐19 patients with a history of severe illness. These symptoms are part of the post‐acute sequelae of Sars‐CoV‐2 (PASC) and currently lack evidence‐based treatment. To investigate the efficacy of lower extremity electrical stimulation (E‐Stim) in addressing PASC‐related muscle deconditioning, we conducted a double‐blinded randomized controlled trial. Eighteen (n = 18) patients with LE muscle deconditioning were randomly assigned to either the intervention (IG) or the control (CG) group, resulting in 36 LE being assessed. Both groups received daily 1 h E‐Stim …

Association Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency With Outcomes In Us Veterans With Covid-19, Sarah H Elsea, Javad Razjouyan, Kyung Min Lee, Julie A Lynch, Sharyl Martini, Lavannya M Pandit

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: The underlying biological risk factors for severe outcome due to SAR-CoV-2 infection are not well defined.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and severity of COVID-19.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study included analysis of 24 700 veterans with G6PD enzyme testing prior to January 1, 2020, obtained through the US Veterans Health Administration national databases. These veterans were cross-referenced with the Veterans Administration COVID-19 Shared Data Resource for SARS-CoV-2 testing from February 15, 2020, to January 1, 2021. The final study population consisted of 4811 veterans who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Statistical …

Inflammatory Biomarkers Differ Among Hospitalized Veterans Infected With Alpha, Delta, And Omicron Sars-Cov-2 Variants, Catherine Park, Shahriar Tavakoli-Tabasi, Amir Sharafkhaneh, Benjamin J Seligman, Bret Hicken, Christopher I Amos, Andrew Chou, Javad Razjouyan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mortality due to COVID-19 has been correlated with laboratory markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP). The lower mortality during Omicron variant infections could be explained by variant-specific immune responses or host factors, such as vaccination status. We hypothesized that infections due to Omicron variant cause less inflammation compared to Alpha and Delta, correlating with lower mortality. This was a retrospective cohort study of veterans hospitalized for COVID-19 at the Veterans Health Administration. We compared inflammatory markers among patients hospitalized during Omicron infection with those of Alpha and Delta. We reported the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the first …

Eosinophils Protect Against Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury Through Cyclooxygenase-Mediated Il-4/Il-13 Production, Long Xu, Yang Yang, Jiali Jiang, Yankai Wen, Jong-Min Jeong, Christoph Emontzpohl, Constance L Atkins, Kangho Kim, Elizabeth A Jacobsen, Hua Wang, Cynthia Ju

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A better understanding of the underlying mechanism of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury (AILI) remains an important endeavor to develop therapeutic approaches. Eosinophils have been detected in liver biopsies of patients with APAP overdose. We recently demonstrated a profound protective role of eosinophils against AILI; however, the molecular mechanism had not been elucidated.

APPROACH AND RESULTS: In agreement with our previous data from experiments using genetic deletion of eosinophils, we found that depletion of eosinophils in wild-type (WT) mice by an anti-IL-15 antibody resulted in exacerbated AILI. Moreover, adoptive transfer of eosinophils significantly reduced liver injury and mortality …

Recurrent Cyanotic Spells In An Octogenarian, Chin Tong Kwok, Chun Kit Wong

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

We report rare case of an octogenarian who, after years of diagnostic delay, was found to have a patent foramen ovale, and due to an ascending aortic aneurysm that anatomically facilitated right-to-left shunt, presenting with life-threatening cyanotic attacks. The characteristic orthodeoxia-platypnea syndrome and high alveolar arterial gradient hint to the diagnosis. She was eventually treated successfully with urgent percutaneous PFO closure. Routine ordering of a transthoracic echocardiogram, without agitated saline injection under provocation maneuvers, may not be sufficient to rule out shunts.

Diagnosis Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis By Respiratory Function Test, Francesca Polverino, Simone Sampaolo, Antonio Capuozzo, Marco Fasolino, Michele Aliberti, Ersilia Satta, Carlo Santoriello, Mario Polverino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The diagnostic criterion for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) based on the findings of concomitant clinical and electrophysiological evidence of upper and lower motor neuron involvement may remain unsatisfied for months and in some patients, even for years in the early stage of the disease. Since respiratory involvement is an onset symptom of ALS in only 1-3% of patients, pulmonary assessment has never been considered useful in the early diagnosis of ALS. However, studies on pulmonary function are lacking, especially in those early stages where neurologic tests are also inconclusive. In contrast to the scarcity of data in the early stages, …

Lungs Of A Chronic Smoker: The Case Of Heroin Induced Emphysema In A 35-Year-Old Male, Neil Gerts, George Ishak, Ian Joel, Jasprit Takher

Far West Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Atraumatic Splenic Rupture: An Unaccustomed Complication Of H. Parainfluenzae Endocarditis, Daniel P. High, Jose M. Acosta-Rullan, Danay Herrera, Mauricio Danckers

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract available.

Where’S Adam? Successful Treatment Of Covid-19 Vaccine-Related Refractory Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Christopher Fontela, Alfredo Toll, Jose Fernandez, Gabriel Barciela-Perez, Jorge Diaz, Greisy Curbelo-Sesin, Ilde Manuel Lee, Jose Gascon

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

A 54-year-old man with a medical history notable for hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus presented with altered mental status. Initial assessment revealed altered consciousness, aphasia, and diffuse generalized petechiae. Having recently migrated from Colombia, he had received four doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with the last dose administered one month prior to presentation. Laboratory results indicated severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count: 3), microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, acute myocardial, liver, and kidney injury, prompting a presumptive diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Confirmation was achieved through an ADAMTS13 level of less than 2 percent. Despite initiating high-dose solumedrol and emergent plasmapheresis, …

Cannabis Consumption And The Emergence Of Giant Lung Bullae: A Case Report And Clinical Analysis, Rafael Miret, Jose Rodriguez Castro, Armando Cabrera, Mauricio Danckers, Raiko Diaz, Nikhil Bhardwaj

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

Please see supplemental content for full abstract with figures and references.

Introduction: Vanishing Lung Syndrome (VLS), also known as idiopathic giant bullous emphysema, is a rare pulmonary condition characterized by the development of large, thin-walled bullae within the lung parenchyma. While the exact etiology of VLS remains unclear, there is growing interest in exploring a potential association between VLS and cannabis use. This case report aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by presenting a case of VLS in a patient with a history of chronic cannabis consumption in prior years.

Clinical Presentation: A 44-year-old former smoker male …

Improving Use Of A Standardized Medical Icu Order Set, Ernesto Munoz-Pena, Sesha Sai Kanakamedala, Ramzy Daoud, Suhail Saad-Omer, Aarushi Varshney, Tristan Tanner, Alexander Kong, Joshua Shultz, Ashwini Komarla

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Interplay Between Liver Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells And Nk Cells Drives The Development Of Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, Chen Cheng, Qian Zhang, Yue Li, Jiali Jiang, Linxi Xie, Haiyuan Shen, Dongqing Wu, Hejiao Zhang, Huiru Zhang, Xuan Wang, Hongyu Wu, Jingjing Xu, Li Gui, Bao Li, Cynthia Ju, Hui Peng, Shi Yin, Long Xu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Liver contains high frequency of group 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC), which are composed of comparable number of type 1 ILC (ILC1) and natural killer (NK) cells in steady state. Little is known about whether and how the interaction between ILC1 and NK cells affects the development of alcoholic liver disease.

METHODS: A mouse model of chronic alcohol abuse plus single-binge (Gao-Binge model) was established. The levels of alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase, hepatic lipid, and inflammatory cytokines or neutrophils were measured to evaluate the degree of liver injury, steatosis, and inflammation. Flow cytometric analysis, cell depletion, or adoptive …

Modified Early Warning Scoring (Mews) Versus Epic Deterioration Index (Edi): Battle Royale For Which Has The Best Patient Outcomes In The Inpatient Setting, Dirk A. Church

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: The increased workload bedside nurses face today requires new tools to assist with the identification of deteriorating patients during hospitalization. The Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) tool has formed the background of early warning tools. Newer, more complex tools, like Epic’s Deterioration Index (EDI), have been developed to identify patient deterioration earlier. There is lack of evidence in the literature comparing different early warning tools, implementation, and patient outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine models for EWS notification for RRT and patient outcomes between the use of the MEWS and EDI in an adult, …

Clinical Efficacy Among Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps And Clinical Features Of Obstructive Lung Disease: Post Hoc Analysis Of The Phase Iii Sinus-24 And Sinus-52 Studies, Jorge F Maspero, Claus Bachert, Fernando J Martinez, Nicola A Hanania, Benjamin Ortiz, Naimish Patel, Leda P Mannent, Amy Praestgaard, Nami Pandit-Abid, Shahid Siddiqui, Megan Hardin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: To provide a descriptive summary of clinical efficacy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and clinical features of obstructive lung disease in the Phase III dupilumab studies SINUS-24 and SINUS-52 (NCT02912468, NCT02898454).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients met a "broad" definition of having clinical features of obstructive lung disease with any of 3 criteria: (i) pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV

RESULTS: Across both studies, 131 patients met the "broad" definition, of whom 90 also had asthma, and 115 patients met the "narrow" definition, of whom 74 had …

Lower Respiratory Illnesses In Childhood Are Associated With The Presence Of Air Trapping In Early Adulthood, Francesca Polverino, Debra A Stern, Eric M Snyder, Courtney Wheatley-Guy, Surya P Bhatt, Fernando D Martinez, Stefano Guerra, Wayne J Morgan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Several factors occurring in early life, including lower respiratory tract illnesses (LRIs), are involved in determining lung structure and function in adulthood, but the effects of these factors on lung development remain largely unknown. Hereby, we evaluated the parameters from computed tomography (CT) scans performed at the age of 26 years in 39 subjects from the birth cohort of the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study (TCRS) in order to determine the relationship between early childhood factors and lung structural changes in young adult life. We found that participants with LRIs in childhood had increased air trapping at the age of 26 …

Corrigendum: Alveolar Macrophages In Lung Cancer: Opportunities And Challenges, Cheng-Yen Chang, Dominique Armstrong, David B Corry, Farrah Kheradmand

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the published article, there was an error in the article title. Instead of “Alveolar Macrophages in Lung Cancer: Opportunities Challenges”, it should be “Alveolar Macrophages in Lung Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges”.

The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.

Respiratory Function Changes As Early Signs Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Mario Polverino, Simone Sampaolo, Antonio Capuozzo, Marco Fasolino, Michele Aliberti, Ersilia Satta, Carlo Santoriello, James Peter Orengo, Francesca Polverino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The current diagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may remain unsatisfactory for months or years in the early disease. Pulmonary assessment has never been considered useful in the early diagnosis of ALS, and studies of pulmonary function in this patient category are lacking.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the pulmonary function in subjects with unspecific symptoms of ALS in whom an ALS diagnosis cannot be reached based on the current available guidelines.

METHODS: We performed pulmonary function tests, arterial gas analysis, maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressure, and respiratory drive (P0.1) assessment in …

Myeloid-Associated Differentiation Marker Is Associated With Type 2 Asthma And Is Upregulated By Human Rhinovirus Infection, Sasipa Tanyaratsrisakul, Alane Blythe C Dy, Francesca Polverino, Mari Numata, Julie G Ledford

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Human rhinoviruses are known to predispose infants to asthma development during childhood and are often associated with exacerbations in asthma patients. MYADM epithelial expression has been shown to associate with asthma severity. The goal of this study was to determine if MYADM expression patterns were altered in asthma and/or rhinovirus infection and if increased MYADM expression is associated with increased asthma-associated factors.

METHODS: Utilizing H1HeLa cells and differentiated primary human airway epithelial cells (AECs), we measured the expression of MYADM and inflammatory genes by qRT-PCR in the presence or absence of RV-1B infection or poly I:C treatment and with …