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Howard University Hospital

Hospital / health systemWashington, District of Columbia, United States

Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from Howard University Hospital (United States). Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.

Total works
2.6K
Citations
78.3K
h-index
111
i10-index
1.6K
Also known as
Freedmen's HospitalHoward University Hospital

Top-cited papers from Howard University Hospital

Genome-wide association study identifies 30 loci associated with bipolar disorder
Eli A. Stahl, Gerome Breen, Andreas J. Forstner, Andrew McQuillin +4 more
2019· Nature Genetics1.6Kdoi:10.1038/s41588-019-0397-8

) in the discovery GWAS were not genome-wide significant in the combined analysis, consistent with small effect sizes and limited power but also with genetic heterogeneity. In the combined analysis, 30 loci were genome-wide significant, including 20 newly identified loci. The significant loci contain genes encoding ion channels, neurotransmitter transporters and synaptic components. Pathway analysis revealed nine significantly enriched gene sets, including regulation of insulin secretion and endocannabinoid signaling. Bipolar I disorder is strongly genetically correlated with schizophrenia, driven by psychosis, whereas bipolar II disorder is more strongly correlated with major depressive disorder. These findings address key clinical questions and provide potential biological mechanisms for bipolar disorder.

Risk thresholds for alcohol consumption: combined analysis of individual-participant data for 599 912 current drinkers in 83 prospective studies
Angela M Wood, Stephen Kaptoge, Adam S Butterworth, Peter Willeit +4 more
2018· The Lancet1.1Kdoi:10.1016/s0140-6736(18)30134-x

BACKGROUND: Low-risk limits recommended for alcohol consumption vary substantially across different national guidelines. To define thresholds associated with lowest risk for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, we studied individual-participant data from 599 912 current drinkers without previous cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We did a combined analysis of individual-participant data from three large-scale data sources in 19 high-income countries (the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration, EPIC-CVD, and the UK Biobank). We characterised dose-response associations and calculated hazard ratios (HRs) per 100 g per week of alcohol (12·5 units per week) across 83 prospective studies, adjusting at least for study or centre, age, sex, smoking, and diabetes. To be eligible for the analysis, participants had to have information recorded about their alcohol consumption amount and status (ie, non-drinker vs current drinker), plus age, sex, history of diabetes and smoking status, at least 1 year of follow-up after baseline, and no baseline history of cardiovascular disease. The main analyses focused on current drinkers, whose baseline alcohol consumption was categorised into eight predefined groups according to the amount in grams consumed per week. We assessed alcohol consumption in relation to all-cause mortality, total cardiovascular disease, and several cardiovascular disease subtypes. We corrected HRs for estimated long-term variability in alcohol consumption using 152 640 serial alcohol assessments obtained some years apart (median interval 5·6 years [5th-95th percentile 1·04-13·5]) from 71 011 participants from 37 studies. FINDINGS: In the 599 912 current drinkers included in the analysis, we recorded 40 310 deaths and 39 018 incident cardiovascular disease events during 5·4 million person-years of follow-up. For all-cause mortality, we recorded a positive and curvilinear association with the level of alcohol consumption, with the minimum mortality risk around or below 100 g per week. Alcohol consumption was roughly linearly associated with a higher risk of stroke (HR per 100 g per week higher consumption 1·14, 95% CI, 1·10-1·17), coronary disease excluding myocardial infarction (1·06, 1·00-1·11), heart failure (1·09, 1·03-1·15), fatal hypertensive disease (1·24, 1·15-1·33); and fatal aortic aneurysm (1·15, 1·03-1·28). By contrast, increased alcohol consumption was log-linearly associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction (HR 0·94, 0·91-0·97). In comparison to those who reported drinking >0-≤100 g per week, those who reported drinking >100-≤200 g per week, >200-≤350 g per week, or >350 g per week had lower life expectancy at age 40 years of approximately 6 months, 1-2 years, or 4-5 years, respectively. INTERPRETATION: In current drinkers of alcohol in high-income countries, the threshold for lowest risk of all-cause mortality was about 100 g/week. For cardiovascular disease subtypes other than myocardial infarction, there were no clear risk thresholds below which lower alcohol consumption stopped being associated with lower disease risk. These data support limits for alcohol consumption that are lower than those recommended in most current guidelines. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, National Institute for Health Research, European Union Framework 7, and European Research Council.

THE ACUTE SCHIZOAFFECTIVE PSYCHOSES
J. Kasanin
1933· American Journal of Psychiatry521doi:10.1176/ajp.90.1.97

1. A group of 9 cases is presented in which there is a blending of schizophrenic and affective symptoms. 2. The psychosis is characterized by a very sudden onset in a setting of marked emotional turmoil with a distortion of the outside world and presence of false sensory impressions in some cases. The psychosis lasts a few weeks to a few months and is followed by a recovery. 3. Our patients are young people, in the twenties or thirties, in excellent physical health, in whom there is usually a history of a previous attack in late adolescence. 4. The prepsychotic personalities of our patients show the usual variation found in any group of people. 5. A good social and industrial adjustment, the presence of a definite and specific environmental stress, the interest in life and its opportunities, and the absence of any passivity or withdrawal are some of the factors favoring recovery.

Epidemiology of Eye-Related Emergency Department Visits
Roomasa Channa, Syed Nabeel Zafar, Joseph K. Canner, R Häring +2 more
2016· JAMA Ophthalmology339doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.5778

IMPORTANCE: Determining the epidemiology of eye-related emergency department (ED) visits on a national level can assist policymakers in appropriate allocation of resources. OBJECTIVE: To study ED visits related to ocular conditions for all age groups across the United States. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Nationally representative data from the US Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) were used to analyze ED visits from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2011 (6 years). All patients with eye problems presenting to EDs across the United States were eligible for inclusion. A weighted count of 11 929 955 ED visits were categorized as possibly emergent (emergent), unlikely to be emergent (nonemergent), or could not be determined. Data were analyzed from March 1 to May 30, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Population-based incidence rates of eye-related ED visits, incidence rates of eye injuries, relative proportions of emergent vs nonemergent eye-related ED visits among different age groups, and independent factors associated with emergent vs nonemergent visits. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2011, 11 929 955 ED visits (male patients, 54.2%; mean [SD] age, 31 [22] years) for ocular problems across the United States were categorized as emergent (41.2%), nonemergent (44.3%), or could not determine (14.5%). Corneal abrasions (13.7%) and foreign body in the external eye (7.5%) were the leading diagnoses in the emergent category. More than 4 million visits were for conjunctivitis (28.0%), subconjunctival hemorrhages (3.0%), and styes (3.8%). Emergent visits were significantly more likely to occur among males (odds ratio [OR], 2.00; 95% CI, 2.00-2.01), patients in the highest income quartile (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.46-1.49), older patients (OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 2.38-2.44), and patients with private insurance (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.28-1.30). Mean annual inflation-adjusted charges for all eye-related ED visits totaled $2.0 billion. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Across the United States, nonemergent conditions accounted for almost half of all eye-related ED visits. Interventions to facilitate management of these cases outside the ED could make ED resources more available for truly emergent ophthalmic and medical issues.

IG/MYC Rearrangements are the Main Cytogenetic Alteration in Plasmablastic Lymphomas
Alexandra Valera, Olga Balagué, Luís Colomo, Antonio Martı́nez +4 more
2010· The American Journal of Surgical Pathology276doi:10.1097/pas.0b013e3181f3e29f

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive lymphoma characterized by a terminally differentiated B-cell phenotype that usually occurs in the immunocompromised or elderly patients. Although the clinical and pathologic characteristics of these tumors have been defined, the genetic alterations involved in their pathogenesis are not well known. In this study, we have investigated the chromosomal alterations of MYC, BCL2, BCL6, MALT1, PAX5, and IGH loci using fluorescence in situ hybridization in 42 PBL and 3 extracavitary primary effusion lymphomas. MYC rearrangements were identified in 20 of 41 (49%) PBL and the immunoglobulin (IG) genes were the partners in most tumors. MYC rearrangements were more common in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive (14 of 19, 74%) than EBV-negative (9 of 21, 43%) tumors (P<0.05). No rearrangements of BCL2, BCL6, MALT1, or PAX5 were detected in any PBL but gains of these loci were observed in 31% to 41% of the cases examined. Twelve of the 40 PBL in which 3 or more loci could be investigated had multiple simultaneous gains in 3 or more loci. No differences in the survival of the patients according to MYC were observed but the 4 patients with the longest survival (>50 mo) had no or low number of gains (<3). No rearrangements of any of these loci were seen in the primary effusion lymphomas. In conclusion, PBL are genetically characterized by frequent IG/MYC translocations and gains in multiple chromosomal loci. The oncogenic activation of MYC in these lymphomas may be an important pathogenetic element associated with EBV infection.

Pathogenesis of Irradiation-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction
Olubunmi K. Abayomi
1996· Acta Oncologica274doi:10.3109/02841869609083995

Neurocognitive dysfunction is a common sequela of cranial irradiation that is especially severe in young children. The underlying mechanisms of this disorder have not been described. The present review describes the role of the hippocampus and the anatomically related cortex in memory function and its marked susceptibility to ischemic and hypoxic injury. Based on studies of animal models of human amnesia and histopathological findings in the irradiated brain, the neurocognitive sequela of cranial irradiation can be seen to be mediated through vascular injury, resulting in ischemia and hypoxia in the hippocampal region. Recognition of the site and mechanisms of this injury may lead to the development of techniques to minimize the risks.

Novel Alzheimer Disease Risk Loci and Pathways in African American Individuals Using the African Genome Resources Panel
Brian W. Kunkle, Michael A. Schmidt, Hans‐Ulrich Klein, Adam C. Naj +4 more
2020· JAMA Neurology272doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.3536

Importance: Compared with non-Hispanic White individuals, African American individuals from the same community are approximately twice as likely to develop Alzheimer disease. Despite this disparity, the largest Alzheimer disease genome-wide association studies to date have been conducted in non-Hispanic White individuals. In the largest association analyses of Alzheimer disease in African American individuals, ABCA7, TREM2, and an intergenic locus at 5q35 were previously implicated. Objective: To identify additional risk loci in African American individuals by increasing the sample size and using the African Genome Resource panel. Design, Setting, and Participants: This genome-wide association meta-analysis used case-control and family-based data sets from the Alzheimer Disease Genetics Consortium. There were multiple recruitment sites throughout the United States that included individuals with Alzheimer disease and controls of African American ancestry. Analysis began October 2018 and ended September 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Results: A total of 2784 individuals with Alzheimer disease (1944 female [69.8%]) and 5222 controls (3743 female [71.7%]) were analyzed (mean [SD] age at last evaluation, 74.2 [13.6] years). Associations with 4 novel common loci centered near the intracellular glycoprotein trafficking gene EDEM1 (3p26; P = 8.9 × 10-7), near the immune response gene ALCAM (3q13; P = 9.3 × 10-7), within GPC6 (13q31; P = 4.1 × 10-7), a gene critical for recruitment of glutamatergic receptors to the neuronal membrane, and within VRK3 (19q13.33; P = 3.5 × 10-7), a gene involved in glutamate neurotoxicity, were identified. In addition, several loci associated with rare variants, including a genome-wide significant intergenic locus near IGF1R at 15q26 (P = 1.7 × 10-9) and 6 additional loci with suggestive significance (P ≤ 5 × 10-7) such as API5 at 11p12 (P = 8.8 × 10-8) and RBFOX1 at 16p13 (P = 5.4 × 10-7) were identified. Gene expression data from brain tissue demonstrate association of ALCAM, ARAP1, GPC6, and RBFOX1 with brain β-amyloid load. Of 25 known loci associated with Alzheimer disease in non-Hispanic White individuals, only APOE, ABCA7, TREM2, BIN1, CD2AP, FERMT2, and WWOX were implicated at a nominal significance level or stronger in African American individuals. Pathway analyses strongly support the notion that immunity, lipid processing, and intracellular trafficking pathways underlying Alzheimer disease in African American individuals overlap with those observed in non-Hispanic White individuals. A new pathway emerging from these analyses is the kidney system, suggesting a novel mechanism for Alzheimer disease that needs further exploration. Conclusions and Relevance: While the major pathways involved in Alzheimer disease etiology in African American individuals are similar to those in non-Hispanic White individuals, the disease-associated loci within these pathways differ.

Association of Periodontitis With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Study
Addie Dissick, Robert S. Redman, Miata Jones, Bavana V. Rangan +4 more
2010· Journal of Periodontology263doi:10.1902/jop.2009.090309

BACKGROUND: Similarities exist in the epidemiology and immunopathogenesis of periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the associations between their respective disease activities and severities are less well documented. We evaluated the prevalence and severity of periodontitis in United States (U.S.) veterans with RA and their relationship to RA disease activity and severity. METHODS: Patients with RA from an outpatient rheumatology clinic were eligible, and patients with osteoarthritis (OA) served as controls. Dentists, masked to the rheumatologic diagnoses, performed periodontal probing and examined dental panoramic radiographs to assess the presence and severity of periodontitis. Associations of periodontitis with RA were examined using multivariate regression, whereas the association of periodontitis with disease-severity measures in RA was examined using the chi(2) test. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients with RA (57 males and 12 females) and 35 patients with OA (30 males and five females) were studied. Moderate to severe periodontitis was more prevalent in patients with RA (51%) than controls (26%) (P = 0.03), an association independent of age, race, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and gender. Patients with RA who were seropositive for rheumatoid factor (RF) were more likely to have moderate to severe periodontitis (59%) than patients who were RF negative (15%) (P = 0.02). Likewise, patients with RA who were positive for the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies were more likely to have moderate to severe periodontitis (56%) than patients who were anti-CCP negative (22%) (P = 0.01). There were no associations of periodontitis status with other measures of RA disease activity or severity. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of U.S. veterans, periodontitis was more common and severe in patients with RA compared to patients with OA. Although unrelated to disease activity, the presence of periodontitis in patients with RA was associated with seropositivity for RF and the anti-CCP antibody, which was highly relevant given the associations of these autoantibodies with poor outcomes and disease pathogenesis in RA.

Genome-wide association study identifies 30 Loci Associated with Bipolar Disorder
Eli A. Stahl, Gerome Breen, Andreas J. Forstner, Andrew McQuillin +4 more
2017· bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)255doi:10.1101/173062

ABSTRACT Bipolar disorder is a highly heritable psychiatric disorder that features episodes of mania and depression. We performed the largest genome-wide association study to date, including 20,352 cases and 31,358 controls of European descent, with follow-up analysis of 822 sentinel variants at loci with P&lt;1×10 -4 in an independent sample of 9,412 cases and 137,760 controls. In the combined analysis, 30 loci reached genome-wide significant evidence for association, of which 20 were novel. These significant loci contain genes encoding ion channels and neurotransmitter transporters ( CACNA1C , GRIN2A , SCN2A , SLC4A1 ), synaptic components ( RIMS1 , ANK3 ), immune and energy metabolism components. Bipolar disorder type I (depressive and manic episodes; ~ 73% of our cases) is strongly genetically correlated with schizophrenia whereas bipolar disorder type II (depressive and hypomanic episodes; ~ 17% of our cases) is more strongly correlated with major depressive disorder. These findings address key clinical questions and provide potential new biological mechanisms for bipolar disorder.

Genome-wide association study of 40,000 individuals identifies two novel loci associated with bipolar disorder
Liping Hou, Sarah E. Bergen, Nirmala Akula, Jie Song +4 more
2016· Human Molecular Genetics236doi:10.1093/hmg/ddw181

; OR = 1.13). No significant X-chromosome associations were detected and X-linked markers explained very little BD heritability. The results add to a growing list of common autosomal variants involved in BD and illustrate the power of comparing well-characterized cases to an excess of controls in GWAS.

Can a Strategic Pipeline Initiative Increase the Number of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in Orthopaedic Surgery?
Bonnie Simpson Mason, William A. Ross, Gezzer Ortega, Monique C. Chambers +1 more
2016· Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research227doi:10.1007/s11999-016-4846-8

BACKGROUND: Women and minorities remain underrepresented in orthopaedic surgery. In an attempt to increase the diversity of those entering the physician workforce, Nth Dimensions implemented a targeted pipeline curriculum that includes the Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program. The program exposes medical students to the specialty of orthopaedic surgery and equips students to be competitive applicants to orthopaedic surgery residency programs. The effect of this program on women and underrepresented minority applicants to orthopaedic residencies is highlighted in this article. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) For women we asked: is completing the Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program associated with higher odds of applying to orthopaedic surgery residency? (2) For underrepresented minorities, is completing the Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program associated with higher odds of applying to orthopaedic residency? METHODS: Between 2005 and 2012, 118 students completed the Nth Dimensions/American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program. The summer internship consisted of an 8-week clinical and research program between the first and second years of medical school and included a series of musculoskeletal lectures, hands-on, practical workshops, presentation of a completed research project, ongoing mentoring, professional development, and counselling through each participant's subsequent years of medical school. In correlation with available national application data, residency application data were obtained for those Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program participants who applied to the match between 2011 through 2014. For these 4 cohort years, we evaluated whether this program was associated with increased odds of applying to orthopaedic surgery residency compared with national controls. For the same four cohorts, we evaluated whether underrepresented minority students who completed the program had increased odds of applying to an orthopaedic surgery residency compared with national controls. RESULTS: Fifty Orthopaedic Summer Internship scholars applied for an orthopaedic residency position. For women, completion of the Orthopaedic Summer Internship was associated with increased odds of applying to orthopaedic surgery residency (after summer internship: nine of 17 [35%]; national controls: 800 of 78,316 [1%]; odds ratio [OR], 51.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 21.1-122.0; p < 0.001). Similarly, for underrepresented minorities, Orthopaedic Summer Internship completion was also associated with increased odds of orthopaedic applications from 2011 to 2014 (after Orthopaedic Summer Internship: 15 of 48 [31%]; non-Orthopaedic Summer Internship applicants nationally: 782 of 25,676 [3%]; OR, 14.5 [7.3-27.5]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Completion of the Nth Dimensions Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program has a positive impact on increasing the odds of each student participant applying to an orthopaedic surgery residency program. This program may be a key factor in contributing to the pipeline of women and underrepresented minorities into orthopaedic surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Predicting the effect of transfusing only phenotype‐matched RBCs to patients with sickle cell disease: theoretical and practical implications
Oswaldo Castro, S. Gerald Sandler, Patricia Houston‐Yu, Sohail Rana
2002· Transfusion223doi:10.1046/j.1537-2995.2002.00126.x

BACKGROUND: Transfusing only phenotype-matched RBCs has been recommended to reduce the incidence of alloimmunization to blood group antigens in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The expected benefit of phenotype matching was determined by identifying which of the existing blood group alloantibodies in patients with SCD who received conventional transfusions would not have been formed if they had received only phenotype-matched RBCs. By use of each patient's alloantibodies as a baseline, it was possible to identify specific alloantibodies that would not have been formed if each of five different phenotype-matching protocols had been used. RESULTS: During a 12-year period, 351 patients received transfusions with 8939 units of ABO- and D-matched RBCs. Of these, 102 patients (29.1%) formed at least one blood group alloantibody. An additional 35 patients with SCD with alloantibodies were identified by reviewing clinical records, yielding a total of 137 alloimmunized patients for inclusion in this study. If all transfusions had been selected by limited phenotype matching (C, c, E, e, and K, as well as for ABO and D), all alloantibodies would have been prevented for more than half (53.3%) of the 137 alloimmunized patients. If all transfusions had been matched for C, c, E, e, K, S, Fya, and Jkb, all antibodies would have been prevented for 70.8 percent of the 137 alloimmunized patients. Approximately 13.6 percent of random white blood donors would be expected to match a limited phenotype-matching protocol, whereas only 0.6 percent would match an extended phenotype-matching protocol. CONCLUSION: Limited phenotype matching would have prevented all alloantibodies in 53.3 percent of the patients who formed alloantibodies. This protocol requires RBCs that are readily available. Extended phenotype matching would have prevented alloimmunization in 70.8 percent of patients who formed alloantibodies. However, this would require phenotypes that are 22.7 times less prevalent among random blood donors and is therefore impractical for a long-term strategy.

Titles versus titles and abstracts for initial screening of articles for systematic reviews
Farrah J. Mateen, Oh, Tergas, Bhayani +1 more
2013· Clinical Epidemiology206doi:10.2147/clep.s43118

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus on whether screening titles alone or titles and abstracts together is the preferable strategy for inclusion of articles in a systematic review. METHODS: TWO METHODS OF SCREENING ARTICLES FOR INCLUSION IN A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WERE COMPARED: titles first versus titles and abstracts simultaneously. Each citation found in MEDLINE or Embase was reviewed by two physician reviewers for prespecified criteria: the citation included (1) primary data; (2) the exposure of interest; and (3) the outcome of interest. RESULTS: There were 2965 unique citations. The titles first strategy resulted in an immediate rejection of 2558 (86%) of the records after reading the title alone, requiring review of 239 titles and abstracts, and subsequently 176 full text articles. The simultaneous titles and abstracts review led to rejection of 2782 citations (94%) and review of 183 full text articles. Interreviewer agreement to include an article for full text review using the titles-first screening strategy was 89%-94% (kappa = 0.54) and 96%-97% (kappa = 0.56) for titles and abstracts combined. The final systematic review included 13 articles, all of which were identified by both screening strategies (yield 100%, burden 114%). Precision was higher in the titles and abstracts method (7.1% versus 3.2%) but recall was the same (100% versus 100%), leading to a higher F-measure for the titles and abstracts approach (0.1327 versus 0.0619). CONCLUSION: Screening via a titles-first approach may be more efficient than screening titles and abstracts together.

Racial Discrimination and Breast Cancer Incidence in US Black Women: The Black Women's Health Study
Travis R. Taylor, C. D. Williams, Kepher H. Makambi, Christopher Mouton +4 more
2007· American Journal of Epidemiology203doi:10.1093/aje/kwm056

Perceived discrimination may contribute to somatic disease. The association between perceived discrimination and breast cancer incidence was assessed in the Black Women's Health Study. In 1997, participants completed questions on perceived discrimination in two domains: "everyday" discrimination (e.g., being treated as dishonest) and major experiences of unfair treatment due to race (job, housing, and police). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios, controlling for breast cancer risk factors. From 1997 to 2003, 593 incident cases of breast cancer were ascertained. In the total sample, there were weak positive associations between cancer incidence and everyday and major discrimination. These associations were stronger among the younger women. Among women aged less than 50 years, those who reported frequent everyday discrimination were at higher risk than were women who reported infrequent experiences. In addition, the incidence rate ratio was 1.32 (95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.70) for those who reported discrimination on the job and 1.48 (95% confidence interval: 1.01, 2.16) for those who reported discrimination in all three situations - housing, job, and police - relative to those who reported none. These findings suggest that perceived experiences of racism are associated with increased incidence of breast cancer among US Black women, particularly younger women.

Myasthenia Gravis: A Review
Annapurni Jayam‐Trouth, Alok Dabi, Noha Solieman, Mohankumar Kurukumbi +1 more
2012· Autoimmune Diseases196doi:10.1155/2012/874680

Acquired myasthenia gravis is a relatively uncommon disorder, with prevalence rates that have increased to about 20 per 100,000 in the US population. This autoimmune disease is characterized by muscle weakness that fluctuates, worsening with exertion, and improving with rest. In about two-thirds of the patients, the involvement of extrinsic ocular muscle presents as the initial symptom, usually progressing to involve other bulbar muscles and limb musculature, resulting in generalized myasthenia gravis. Although the cause of the disorder is unknown, the role of circulating antibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in its pathogenesis is well established. As this disorder is highly treatable, prompt recognition is crucial. During the past decade, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the disease, leading to new treatment modalities and a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality.

Indications and complications of arterial catheter use in surgical or medical intensive care units: analysis of 4932 patients.
Elisa Frezza, Haile M. Mezghebe
1998· PubMed190

In critical care settings, arterial catheters (ACs) are very useful in monitoring the blood pressure and are often used for repetitive blood sampling. No studies have been performed that compare the approach and complication rates of ACs in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) to those in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Over a 24-month period, 3255 patients were admitted to the MICU and 1677 to the SICU of Howard University Hospital. Of the total patients admitted, 2119 patients had an AC placed at the time of admission and were included in this study. Patient age, site of catheter insertion, interval to catheter change, number of changes, and overall complications associated with arterial catheterization were determined for both ICUs. In the MICU, 1554 patients (48%) were subjected to an AC as compared to 565 (33%) in the SICU. The femoral artery was cannulated in 45 per cent of the patients in the MICU and in 11.5 per cent in the SICU. The radial artery was used in 52 per cent of MICU patients and in 78 per cent of SICU patients. The brachial artery was cannulated in 0.5 per cent of MICU patients and 3 per cent of SICU patients. AC was changed in 9.5 per cent of MICU patients and 13 per cent of SICU patients. The choice of the femoral artery as a new line was more common in the MICU than in the SICU. The most common complication was vascular insufficiency (3.4% in MICU and 4.6% in SICU), followed by bleeding (1.8% in MICU and 2.6% in SICU) and infection (0.4% in MICU and 0.7% in SICU). Patients who had femoral arterial lines in MICU were older than those in SICU (mean age, 66 vs 43 years). Rate of infection was similar in both ICUs and between radial and femoral arterial sites (43% in MICU and 50% in SICU). We conclude that the preferred site for artificial cannulation in MICU is femoral and in SICU is radial artery. The infection rate was similar in both units, regardless of the different site or approach used. Vascular insufficiency followed by bleeding was the most common vascular complication after line changes using a guide wire. Arterial spasm and pulselessness were more commonly found after new-site insertion. The site of AC placement and the timing/number of catheter/site changes made no significant difference in terms of complications, which is a new finding compared to other previous reports. The rates of infection between radial and femoral artery were similar.

Surgical Trends in Bankart Repair
Brett D. Owens, John J. Harrast, Shepard R. Hurwitz, Terry L. Thompson +1 more
2011· The American Journal of Sports Medicine184doi:10.1177/0363546511406869

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic Bankart repair emerged in the 1990s as a minimally invasive alternative to open repair. The optimal technique of surgical stabilization of the unstable glenohumeral joint remains controversial. HYPOTHESIS: A review of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) data would show a trend toward an increasing number of arthroscopic versus open Bankart procedures. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: A query of the ABOS database for all cases of open or arthroscopic Bankart repair from 2003 through 2008 was performed, as the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes for arthroscopic repair were introduced in 2003. All cases coded with CPT codes for arthroscopic Bankart repair (29806) or open Bankart repair (23455) were reviewed. Additional data were obtained on the surgeons (year of procedure, geographic location, fellowship training, subspecialty examination area) as well as the patients (age, gender, follow-up length, complications, objective outcome measures [pain, deformity, function, and satisfaction]). RESULTS: From 2003 to 2008, a total of 4562 Bankart repair cases were reported, composing 8.6% of the total number of shoulder surgery cases in the ABOS database. From 2003 to 2005, 71.2% of Bankart repairs were arthroscopic, compared with 87.7% between 2006 and 2008 (P < .0001). Surgeons having obtained subspecialty training in sports medicine performed the majority (65.3%) of Bankart repairs. Over the entire period, sports-trained surgeons also performed a higher proportion of arthroscopic repairs (84.1%) compared with surgeons without this training (71.9%) (P < .0001). However, by 2008 both non-fellowship-trained and sports medicine fellowship-trained surgeons performed arthroscopic repair in 90% of cases. Surgeons in the Northeast region performed a significantly greater proportion of arthroscopic Bankart repairs (84.7%) than did surgeons in other regions (78.6%) (P < .0001) from 2003 to 2008. The most commonly reported complications were nerve palsy/injury and dislocation, with a rate of nerve injury of 2.2% in the open group compared to 0.3% in the arthroscopic group (P < .0001), and dislocation rate of 1.2% with open stabilization compared with 0.4% arthroscopically (P = .0039). CONCLUSION: Review of the ABOS data shows a trend toward arthroscopic shoulder stabilization over time, with the use of open repair declining. Reported complications were lower overall in the arthroscopic stabilization group when compared with open surgeries.

Increased Rate of Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among Narcotic Addicts
Carmelita U. Tuazon, John N. Sheagren
1974· The Journal of Infectious Diseases180doi:10.1093/infdis/129.6.725

Journal Article Increased Rate of Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among Narcotic Addicts Get access Carmelita U. Tuazon, Carmelita U. Tuazon From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Howard University Medical Service, District of Columbia General Hospital, Washington, D.C. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar John N. Sheagren John N. Sheagren From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Howard University Medical Service, District of Columbia General Hospital, Washington, D.C. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 129, Issue 6, June 1974, Pages 725–727, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/129.6.725 Published: 01 June 1974 Article history Received: 05 September 1973 Revision received: 04 December 1973 Published: 01 June 1974

Moderate Wine Consumption Is Associated with Decreased Odds of Developing Age‐Related Macular Degeneration in NHANES‐1
Thomas O. Obisesan, Robert Hirsch, Omofolasade Kosoko, Letitia Carlson +1 more
1998· Journal of the American Geriatrics Society176doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1998.tb01005.x

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between alcohol intake and the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Case control study. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 3072 adults 45 to 74 years of age with macular changes indicative of AMD who participated in a nationally representative sample of the first National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES-1) between 1971 and 1975: (a) the ophthalmology data set and (b) the medical history questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Alcohol intake and the risk of developing AMD were measured. AMD was determined by staff at the National Eye Institute by fundoscopy examination using standardized protocol. RESULTS: Overall, 184 individuals (6%) had AMD. We observed a statistically significant but negative association between AMD and the type of alcohol consumed in a bivariate model (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.73, 0.99). In the same model, age maintained a consistently strong association with AMD (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.06-1.11; P < .001). Among the different types of alcohol consumed in NHANES-1 (beer, wine, and liquor), the effect of wine, either alone (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.55-0.79) or in combination with beer (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.55-0.79) or liquor (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.63-0.86), dominated the negative association observed between AMD and alcohol type. Additionally, a statistically significant and negative association between wine and AMD was noted after adjusting for the effect of age, gender, income, history of congestive heart failure, and hypertension (OR 0.81; 95% CI 0.67-0.99). CONCLUSION: Moderate wine consumption is associated with decreased odds of developing AMD. Health promotion and disease prevention activities directed at cardiovascular disease may help reduce the rate of AMD-associated blindness among older people. The nature and pathophysiology of this association warrant further investigation.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: aggressive vs. conservative therapy.
Behrooz K Shamloo, Rajesh S Chintala, Ali Nasur, Mohammad Reza Aghaye Ghazvini +3 more
2010· PubMed173

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare condition that commonly presents as an acute coronary event in the younger population, especially in females of childbearing age. Generally, there is no consensus on the etiology, prognosis, and treatment of SCAD. METHODS: The Medline database was searched for "spontaneous coronary artery dissection" between 1931 and 2008. A total of 440 cases of SCAD were identified. Demographic data were analyzed with either the Student's t-test or the chi-square test for categorical and nominal variables, respectively. Kaplan-Meier outcome analysis was used to assess the outcome of a given treatment for all patients after 1990. RESULTS: SCAD was found more commonly in females with 308 (70%) cases. Pregnancy was associated with SCAD in 80 (26.1%) cases. Among pregnant patients, 67 (83.8%) developed SCAD in the postpartum period and 13 (16.2%) patients in the prepartum period. Analysis of treatment modalities showed that 21.2% of the patients who were conservatively managed after the initial diagnosis eventually required surgical or catheter-based intervention compared to 2.5% of patients who were initially treated with an aggressive strategy. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with an isolated single lesion in left or right coronary artery had a statistically significant better outcome when treated with an early aggressive strategy, including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or stent placement as compared to a conservative strategy (p = 0.023, p = 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSION: Early intervention with either CABG or percutaneous coronary intervention following the diagnosis of SCAD leads to a better outcome and less need for further intervention.