Internal Medicine Commons^™

Aromatase, Testosterone, Tmprss2: Determinants Of Covid-19 Severity, Eric C Mohan, Jude P J Savarraj, Gabriela D Colpo, Diego Morales, Carson E Finger, Alexis Mcalister, Hilda Ahnstedt, Huimahn Choi, Louise D Mccullough, Bharti Manwani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Male sex has been identified as a risk factor for worse COVID-19 outcomes. This sex difference has been mostly attributed to the complex role of sex hormones. Cell surface entry of SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by the transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) which is under transcriptional regulation by androgens. P450 aromatase enzyme converts androgens to estrogens. This study measured concentrations of aromatase enzyme, testosterone, estradiol, and TMPRSS-2 in plasma of hospitalized COVID-19 patients to elucidate the dynamics of sex-linked disparity in COVID-19 and correlate them with disease severity and mortality.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, a total of 265 …

Racial Variability In Immune Responses Only Partially Explains Differential Systemic Sclerosis Disease Severity, Kamini E Kuchinad, Ji Soo Kim, Adrianne Woods, Gwen Leatherman, Laura Gutierrez-Alamillo, Maureen D Mayes, Robyn Domsic, Paula S Ramos, Richard M Silver, John Varga, Lesley Ann Saketkoo, Suzanne Kafaja, Victoria K Shanmugan, Jessica Gordon, Lorinda Chung, Elana J Bernstein, Pravitt Gourh, Francesco Boin, Daniel L Kastner, Scott L Zeger, Livia Casciola-Rosen, Fredrick M Wigley, Ami A Shah

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To understand if autoantibodies account for racial variation in disease severity, we compared autoantibody distribution and associated phenotype between self-identified black and white systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.

Methods: 803 black and 2178 white SSc patients had systematic testing for autoantibodies using Euroimmun (centromere (ACA), RNA-polymerase III (POLR3), Scl70, PM/Scl, NOR90, Th/To, Ku, U3RNP and Ro52) and commercial ELISA (U1RNP). In this observational study, logistic regression was performed to assess the association between self-identified race and outcomes, adjusting for autoantibodies. To estimate whether the effect of race was mediated by autoantibody status, race coefficients from multivariate models including and excluding …

High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin [Hs-Ctn] As A Valuable Biomarker For Pulmonary Hypertension Risk Stratification: A Contemporary Review Of The Literature, Vijay Durga Pradeep Ganipineni, Sahas Reddy Jitta, Mohan Chandra Vinay Bharadwaj Gudiwada, Jaswanth Rao Jasti, Chaitra Janga, Bhavyasri Merugu, Revanth Reddy Bandaru, Srikanth Puli, Vikramaditya Samala Venkata, Advait Vasavada, Rupak Desai

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can lead to cardiac failure, thereby signif- icantly affecting life expectancy and quality of life. Due to inadequate disease surveillance and risk assessment, clinical challenges persist despite advances in diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to review the potential of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) as a biomarker for predicting outcomes in PH patients. Methods: A thorough examination of the PubMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted through March 2023. Studies involving adult PH patients and hsTn as a prognostic indicator of outcomes such as mortality, hospitalization, and disease progression were included, after screening their titles and abstracts. …

Development And Assessment Of A Point-Of-Care Application (Genomic Medicine Guidance) For Heritable Thoracic Aortic Disease, Rohan Patil, Fatima Ashraf, Samer Abu Dayeh, Siddharth K Prakash

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Genetic testing can determine familial and personal risks for heritable thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAD). The 2022 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for TAD recommend management decisions based on the specific gene mutation. However, many clinicians lack sufficient comfort or insight to integrate genetic information into clinical practice.

Objective: We therefore developed the Genomic Medicine Guidance (GMG) application, an interactive point-of-care tool to inform clinicians and patients about TAD diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance. GMG is a REDCap-based application that combines publicly available genetic data and clinical recommendations based on the TAD guidelines into one translational education …

Syntaxin 3b: A Snare Protein Required For Vision, Himani Dey, Mariajose Perez-Hurtado, Ruth Heidelberger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Syntaxin 3 is a member of a large protein family of syntaxin proteins that mediate fusion between vesicles and their target membranes. Mutations in the ubiquitously expressed syntaxin 3A splice form give rise to a serious gastrointestinal disorder in humans called microvillus inclusion disorder, while mutations that additionally involve syntaxin 3B, a splice form that is expressed primarily in retinal photoreceptors and bipolar cells, additionally give rise to an early onset severe retinal dystrophy. In this review, we discuss recent studies elucidating the roles of syntaxin 3B and the regulation of syntaxin 3B functionality in membrane fusion and neurotransmitter release …

A Rare Case Of Metachronous Gastric Lymphoma And Gastric Adenocarcinoma, Rofinna Johnkennedy Md, Mph, Cheng-Hung Tai, Alexa Plato Md, Department Of Medicine,, Caroline Loeser

Posters

Reports of metachronous primary gastric lymphoma and gastric adenocarcinoma exist in the literature, but it remains a rare entity. We present a rare case of metachronous gastric adenocarcinoma in a patient diagnosed initially with primary gastric lymphoma.

Amyloidosis: A Rare Cause Of Pan-Dysmotility, Rofinna Johnkennedy Md, Mph, Cheng-Hung Tai, Alexa Plato Md, Department Of Medicine,

Posters

Amyloidosis is a rare systemic infiltrative disease, with a prevalence estimated to be 6-10 cases per million person-years. It involves the extracellular deposition of beta-sheet fibrillar protein and can manifest in any organ system in the body. Diagnosis of gastrointestinal involvement of amyloidosis can be difficult, given its nonspecific symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea, dysphagia, and diarrhea.

Risk Of Stroke In Patients With Left Ventricular Thrombosis Who Undergo Coronary Angiography: A System-Wide Retrospective Analysis, Ashraf Ahmed, Shaun Abid Md, Abhinav Aggarwal, Samdish Sethi, Ilia Ryzhkov, Nur Rahman Md, Assad Ur Rehman Md, Mohamed A. Badheeb, Isaac Opoku Md, Rasha Kaddoura, Rajvir Singh Md, Sandeep S. Nayak, Gilead Lancaster

Posters

Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) has been associated with an increased risk of cardioembolic stroke. However, it has not been established if coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous intervention (PCI) would enhance that risk. This study aims to determine the risk of cardioembolic stroke among patients with LVT who underwent CAG or PCI.

To Screen Or Not To Screen, That Is The Question, Saddam Zaidi Md, Cheng-Hung Tai, Caroline Loeser

Posters

AASLD and EASL recommend biennial HCC screening for Child-Pugh A and B, but not C. We report a 43-year-old female with alcohol related hepatitis and cirrhosis. Her Fibro test score improved from F4 in 2021 to F2 in 2023 with strict alcohol abstinence. AASLD guidelines for HCC screening in such cases remain unclear.

Cardiac Arrest Associated With Thyrotoxicosis: A Systematic Review, Ashraf Ahmed, Mohamed A. Badheeb, Shaun Abid Md, Douglas Webber, Samdish Sethi, Mayowa Adefuye, Deepak R. Vangipuram, Anda Gonciulea Md, Stuart Zarich, Gregory K. Buller

Posters

Thyrotoxicosis is a systemic condition caused by the effects of elevated levels of thyroid hormones. The cardiovascular manifestations of thyrotoxicosis range from sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation to heart failure. The incidence of malignant arrhythmias and cardiac arrest associated with thyrotoxicosis is not well known, and much of the current literature regarding this is limited to case reports. This study conducts a systematic review of the literature to identify patient demographics and outcomes where thyrotoxicosis manifests as cardiac arrest.

Psychological Distress Among Ethnically Diverse Participants From Eastern And Southern Africa, Kester Tindi, Allan Kalungi, Eugene Kinyanda, Bizu Gelaye, Alicia Martin, Ronald Galiwango, Wilber Ssembajjwe, Fred Kirumira, Adele Pretorius, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Importance: Psychological distress is characterized by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Although prior research has investigated the occurrence and factors associated with psychological distress in low- and middle-income countries, including those in Africa, these studies’ findings are not very generalizable and have focused on different kinds of population groups.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics (sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical) associated with psychological distress among African participants.

Design, setting and participants: This case-control study analyzed data of participants in the Neuropsychiatric Genetics in African Populations-Psychosis (NeuroGAP-Psychosis) study, which recruited from general outpatient clinics in Eastern (Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia) and Southern …

Pparγ/Etv2 Axis Regulates Endothelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition In Pulmonary Hypertension, Dong Hun Lee, Minseong Kim, Sarah S Chang, Raham Lee, Andrew J Jang, Juyoung Kim, Jing Ma, Michael J Passineau, Raymond L Benza, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Wilbur A Lam, Benjamin T Kopp, Roy L Sutliff, C Michael Hart, Changwon Park, Bum-Yong Kang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) plays an important role in pulmonary hypertension (PH) but the molecular mechanisms regulating EndoMT remain to be defined. We demonstrate that the axis of the transcription factors PPARγ (Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma) and ETV2 (ETS variant 2) play important roles in the pathogenesis of PH. Decreased levels of the expression of PPARγ and ETV2 along with reduced endothelial and increased EndoMT markers are consistently observed in lungs and pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension patients, in hypoxia-exposed mouse lungs, human PAECs, and in induced-EndoMT cells. Etv2 +/- mice spontaneously developed PH and right …

The Case For Eliminating Excessive Worry As A Requirement For Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Cross-National Investigation, Ayelet Meron Ruscio, Madeleine Rassaby, Murray Stein, Dan Stein, Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Ali Al-Hamzawi, Jordi Alonso, Lukoye Atwoli, Guilherme Borges, Evelyn Bromet

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Around the world, people living in objectively difficult circumstances who experience symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) do not qualify for a diagnosis because their worry is not ‘excessive’ relative to the context. We carried out the first largescale, cross-national study to explore the implications of removing this excessiveness requirement.

Methods: Data come from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative. A total of 133 614 adults from 12 surveys in Low- or Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and 16 surveys in High-Income Countries (HICs) were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Non-excessive worriers meeting all other DSM-5 …

Accuracy Of Nine-Item Patient Health Questionnaire Against Psychiatric Diagnosis For Depression Among People With Hiv, Marcela Yotebieng, Natalia Zotova, Charlotte Bernard, Suzanne Goodrich, Ajeh Rogers Awoh, Dana Watnick, Dominique Mahambu Nsonde, Elodie Flore Tchiengang Moungang, Moussa Seydi, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) against psychiatrist diagnosis in people with HIV (PWH).

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data collected between January 2018 and July 2022 across five sites in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal, and the Republic of Congo. Participants were ≥18 years and receiving HIV care at the participating site. PHQ-9 was administered by study staff followed by a psychiatrist's evaluation within 3 days.

Results: Overall, 778 participants with complete data were included: 297 (38.2%) in Cameroon, 132 (17.0%) in Congo, 148 (19.0%) in Cote d’Ivoire, …

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: A Comprehensive Review., Molly Jain Md, Morgan Crites Np-C, Patricia Rich Md, Bharat Bajantri Md

Internal Medicine Residency

Mesotheliomas are hyperplastic tumors that envelop the serosal membranes that safeguard the body's external surfaces. Although certain instances may exhibit indolent characteristics, a significant number of tumors demonstrate rapid progression and a poor prognosis. Mesotheliomas are typically categorized as benign or malignant, with malignant mesothelioma being more frequently linked to asbestos exposure. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) predominantly impacts males and often emerges in the late 50 s or beyond, characterized by a median age of early 70 s among patients exposed to asbestos lasting from 2 to 4 decades. Respiratory exposure to asbestos particles leads to the development of malignant …

Korelasi Skor Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Dan Rasio Platelet Limfosit Pada Pasien Rawat Inap Dengan Gagal Jantung, Samuel Hendryk Panjaitan, Naomi Niari Dalimunthe, Supriatmo Supriatmo, Andika Pradana

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. The Get with the Guidelines-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) risk score is a widely utilized and validated tool for assessing prognosis in patients with heart failure. Inflammation significantly contributes to the pathophysiology of heart failure, evidenced by platelet activation and a reduction in lymphocyte counts. Consequently, the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may function as a prognostic biomarker in this population. This study aims to investigate the correlation between the GWTG-HF risk score and PLR as an inflammatory marker in patients hospitalized with heart failure.

Methods. This cross-sectional study utilized medical records of heart failure patients admitted to Adam Malik Hospital …

Peran Pemeriksaan Penanda Tumor Cairan Pleura Dalam Diagnosis Efusi Pleura Maligna Akibat Kanker Paru Primer, Cleopas M. Rumende, Noorwati Sutandyo, Arif R. Hanafi, Samuel K. Rumende, Erwin C. Susanto, Truely P. Sitorus

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. Pleural effusion is a frequently acquired lung disorder and based on the type of cause it is divided into malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion. Cytological examination of pleural fluid to differentiate between malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion shows varying sensitivity. Research regarding the benefits of CEA and Cyfra 21-1 pleural fluid examination to detect malignant pleural effusion due to primary lung cancer in Indonesia is still very limited. The aims of this study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of CEA and Cyfra 21-1 pleural fluid in diagnosing malignant pleural effusion due to primary lung camcer.

Methods …

Kesintasan Pasien Karsinoma Hepatoselular: Sebuah Studi Komprehensif Tentang Pengaruh Awitan Dini Versus Lambat Dan Faktor Determinannya, Ibrahim Achmad, Chyntia Olivia Maurine Jasirwan, Wulyo Rajabto, Murdani Abdullah, Saut Horas H. Nababan, Sally Aman Nasution, Sukamto Koesnoe, Nina Kemala Sari

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. The prognosis for patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is generally poor because most cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Several studies indicate that HCC is more prevalent and has a worse prognosis among younger individuals. This study aims to identify and compare the variations in survival rates between early and late-onset HCC patients at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and investigate the factors that impact survival outcomes in both groups.

Methods. Retrospective cohort study of HCC patients registered in HCC registry 2015-2022. Survival was visualized using Kaplan-Meier curves. Prognostic factor variables in the Cox Proportional Hazard Regression analysis …

Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker Sebagai Alternatif Penghambat Pompa Proton Untuk Mengatasi Gejala Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Sebuah Laporan Kasus Berbasis Bukti, Adam Prabata, Adelia Nova Prahasary, Arya Govinda

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Gastric acid suppression is one of the main pillars of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is the most used drug for suppressing gastric acid in GERD patients currently. Potassium- acid competitive acid blocker (PCAB) is a new class of drug which can be used as an alternative drug for suppressing gastric acid, so hypothetically, this drug could be an alternative of PPI for relieving GERD symptoms. However, the ability of PCAB for relieving GERD symptoms was not established, so this study was aimed to elucidate the ability of PCAB as an alternative drug of PPI for …

Ventilasi Noninvasif Pada Obstructive Sleep Apnea Dan Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome, Herikurniawan Herikurniawan, Joanna Audrey, Firina Adelya

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Chronic respiratory disease such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) remain are respiratory sleeping disorder that gradually affect quality of life. Comprehensive treatment such as the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a method adopted to improve the patient’s quality of life. The correct choice of NIV mode, mask and titration methods will provide optimal therapeutic effects to the patient. This article review lays out an update on the use of non-invasive ventilation as the treatment of OSA and OHS.