Faculty Bibliography

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Youth and young adults (YYAs) are at high risk of cigar use. This study's objective was to examine progression and sociodemographic differences in current cigar use and frequency among new cigar initiators. METHODS:We conducted a two-part latent growth model among a nationally representative cohort of cigar initiators (aged 15-25) to examine 24-month trajectories of current cigar use and frequency (n=1,483). The cohort was recruited via address-based sampling with online data collection from 2014-2019 and surveyed approximately every 6 months. RESULTS:The unconditional odds of current cigar use (i.e., past 30-day use) within 6 mos. of initiation was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.82), corresponding to a probability of 42%. The odds of current use among recent cigar initiates declined 6 mos. after initiation and was followed by a stabilization in use over time. Among continued users, frequency (# days used in past 30 days) increased linearly over time but remained low (3.47 days/mo. at 24 months). Younger individuals, non-Hispanic African Americans, those with lower subjective financial status, and current users of cigarettes, other tobacco products and/or marijuana were at highest risk within 6 mos. of initiation. Males, younger users and current cigarette smokers had the highest risk for cigar progression over time. CONCLUSIONS:This study is the first to examine longitudinal cigar use patterns among YYA cigar initiators. Findings emphasize the need for research across the cigar use spectrum and the importance of interventions targeted by age, stage of use, cigarette, other tobacco and marijuana use and key sociodemographics to interrupt use pathways. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:This study is the first to examine progression of cigar use among youth and young adults who have newly initiated cigars. Results show a high probability current cigar use within six months of initiation followed by a rapid decline and stabilization over time. Frequency increases among those who continue using cigars. Males, younger users and current cigarette smokers had the highest risk for cigar progression over time. Findings emphasize the need for targeting interventions by age, stage of use, cigarette, other tobacco and marijuana use and key sociodemographics to interrupt use pathways.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The purpose of our research is to evaluate the usefulness of chest X-ray for triaging patients with suspected COVID-19 infection. METHODS:IRB approval was obtained to allow a retrospective review of adult patients who presented to the Emergency Department with a complaint of fever, cough, dyspnea or hypoxia and had a chest X-ray between 12 March 2020 and 26 March 2020. The initial chest X-ray was graded on a scale of 0-3 with grade 0 representing no alveolar opacities, grade 1: < 1/3 alveolar opacities of the lung, Grade 2: 1/3 to 2/3 lung with alveolar opacities and grade 3: > 2/3 alveolar opacities of the lung. Past medical history of diabetes and hypertension, initial oxygen saturation, COVID-19 testing results, intubation, and outcome were also collected. RESULTS:Four hundred ten patient chest X-rays were reviewed. Oxygen saturation and X-ray grade were both significantly associated with the length of stay in hospital, the hazard ratio (HR) of discharge was 1.05 (95% CI [1.01, 1.09], p = 0.017) and 0.61 (95% CI [0.51, 0.73], p < 0.001), respectively. In addition, oxygen saturation and X-ray grade were significant predictors of intubation (odds ratio (OR) of intubation is 0.88 (95% CI [0.81, 0.96], p = 0.004) and 3.69 (95% CI [2.25, 6.07], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Initial chest X-ray is a useful tool for triaging those subjects who might have poor outcomes with suspected COVID-19 infection and benefit most from hospitalization.

While prior research suggests a relationship between exposure to tobacco content in movies and smoking, less is known about the impact of exposure to tobacco through episodic programs. This study assessed the relationship between exposure to tobacco content in programs on Netflix and broadcast or cable TV and initiation of combustible tobacco or e-cigarette use among young people. A nationally representative, longitudinal sample (ages 15-21 at baseline) was surveyed about exposure to episodic programs previously analyzed for the presence of tobacco and subsequent use of combustible tobacco and e-cigarettes. Logistic regression models assessed associations between exposure to tobacco imagery and future initiation of combustible tobacco and e-cigarettes among those who were nicotine naïve (N = 4604). Data were collected in February-May 2018 and February-May 2019. All analyses were conducted in 2019. Results suggest a dose-response relationship between exposure to tobacco and vaping initiation, whereby the higher the exposure, the greater the odds of subsequent initiation (OR(low) = 2.19, 95%CI = 1.38-3.48; OR(medium) = 2.20, 95%CI = 1.34-3.64; OR(high) = 3.17, 95%CI = 1.71-5.88). There was no significant association between exposure to tobacco imagery and smoking initiation. Tobacco imagery is common in episodic programming popular among young people. Results suggest exposure to tobacco in episodic programs may impact future e-cigarette use. Ongoing monitoring of the impact of tobacco content in episodic programs is needed as the number of available programs continues to increase. Findings highlight the need for policy and advocacy efforts to reduce young people's exposure to tobacco content across all media platforms.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Parents are essential stakeholders for policy implementation. However, data on parents' support for e-cigarette- and tobacco-related policies is limited. This study examines parents' support for five e-cigarette- and tobacco-related policies targeted to prevent youth initiation and exposure to industry marketing practices. METHODS:Data were from a 2018 nationally representative sample of US parents of 11-18-year-old middle and high school students. Weighted adjusted logistic regression models examined correlates of support for policy outcomes, controlling for demographics. Analyses were performed among the full sample (n=2,743) and among current tobacco users (n=355). RESULTS:The majority of parents, including current tobacco users, supported tobacco control efforts to protect adolescents. Over 90% of all parents supported restrictions on e-cigarette marketing to youth and 75% supported a ban on flavored e-cigarette sales. Additionally, over 80% of all parents supported increasing the age of tobacco product sale to 21, limiting tobacco retailer density near schools, and keeping tobacco products out of view where youth shop. Presence of strict home tobacco rules or reporting a high priority to prevent child's e-cigarette use were significantly associated with higher odds of policy support. Results were similar among current tobacco users. CONCLUSIONS:Parents are an important group of tobacco control stakeholders and should be utilized to garner support for tobacco control policies in the context of the recent growth in youth tobacco and e-cigarette use. Parents' public support for tobacco control policies, particularly regulations on e-cigarette sales and marketing, can motivate advocates and policymakers to advance tobacco control policy agendas.

OBJECTIVE:To test the hypothesis that markers of coagulation and hemostatic activation (MOCHA) help identify causes of cryptogenic stroke, we obtained serum measurements on 132 patients and followed them up to identify causes of stroke. METHODS:Consecutive patients with cryptogenic stroke who met embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) criteria from January 1, 2017, to October 31, 2018, underwent outpatient cardiac monitoring and the MOCHA profile (serum D-dimer, prothrombin fragment 1.2, thrombin-antithrombin complex, and fibrin monomer) obtained ≥2 weeks after the index stroke; abnormal MOCHA profile was defined as ≥2 elevated markers. Prespecified endpoints monitored during routine clinical visits included new atrial fibrillation (AF), malignancy, venous thromboembolism (VTE), or other defined hypercoagulable states (HS). RESULTS:= 0.79). The combination of 4 normal MOCHA and normal left atrial size (n = 30) had 100% sensitivity for ruling out the prespecified endpoints. CONCLUSION:The MOCHA profile identified patients with cryptogenic stroke more likely to have new malignancy, VTE, or HS during short-term follow-up and may be useful in direct evaluation for underlying causes of cryptogenic stroke.

This white paper presents principles for validating proarrhythmia risk prediction models for regulatory use as discussed at the In Silico Breakout Session of a Cardiac Safety Research Consortium/Health and Environmental Sciences Institute/US Food and Drug Administration-sponsored Think Tank Meeting on May 22, 2018. The meeting was convened to evaluate the progress in the development of a new cardiac safety paradigm, the Comprehensive in Vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA). The opinions regarding these principles reflect the collective views of those who participated in the discussion of this topic both at and after the breakout session. Although primarily discussed in the context of in silico models, these principles describe the interface between experimental input and model-based interpretation and are intended to be general enough to be applied to other types of nonclinical models for proarrhythmia assessment. This document was developed with the intention of providing a foundation for more consistency and harmonization in developing and validating different models for proarrhythmia risk prediction using the example of the CiPA paradigm.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study is to examine awareness, attitudes, and related knowledge of e-cigarettes, and JUUL specifically, among parents of middle and high school students. METHODS:Data were collected in October-November 2018 from a nationally representative sample of U.S. parents of middle and high school students aged 11-18 years (n=2,885) to examine e-cigarette and JUUL awareness, concern about e-cigarette use, and school communication regarding e-cigarettes. Weighted frequencies and percentages are reported; Rao-Scott chi-square tests examined differences by school level. Data were analyzed in 2019. RESULTS:Although most parents (96.2%) had seen or heard of e-cigarettes, only 55.9% had seen or heard of JUUL, and only 44.2% accurately identified an image of JUUL as a vaping device. Many parents reported concern about adolescent e-cigarette use (60.6%), but fewer reported concern about their own child's use (32.9%). Most parents (73.5%) reported receiving no communication from their child's school about e-cigarettes or JUUL. CONCLUSIONS:There are notable gaps in parents' awareness of JUUL. School-to-parent communication efforts are necessary to build parents' knowledge of e-cigarettes like JUUL to prevent the growing youth uptake of these novel and addictive products.