Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:This guideline will provide the practicing endocrinologist with an approach to the assessment and treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with endocrine diseases, with the objective of preventing cardiovascular (CV) events and triglyceride-induced pancreatitis. The guideline reviews data on dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in patients with endocrine disorders and discusses the evidence for the correction of dyslipidemia by treatment of the endocrine disease. The guideline also addresses whether treatment of the endocrine disease reduces ASCVD risk. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:This guideline focuses on lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities associated with endocrine diseases, including diabetes mellitus, and whether treatment of the endocrine disorder improves not only the lipid abnormalities, but also CV outcomes. Based on the available evidence, recommendations are made for the assessment and management of dyslipidemia in patients with endocrine diseases.

Gender inequities date back thousands of years, with women expected to be caregivers at home and men expected to be leaders with occupations outside the home. In more recent history, women have trained in various professions, including medicine. Although the number of female physicians has risen consistently over the past several decades and half of US medical students now are women, gender inequities persist and are due, at least in part, to implicit (unconscious) biases held by doctors, other health care professionals, and patients and their families. Implicit biases negatively affect women in their medical careers and contribute to slower advancement, less favorable evaluations, underrepresentation in leadership positions, fewer invited lectures, lower salaries, impostor syndrome, and burnout. Despite efforts to address gender biases, studies in academic medical centers indicate no major change over a 20-year span. Management of implicit gender bias at the organizational level is imperative. Strategies include implicit bias training for doctors and other staff; development of a transparent and equitable compensation plan; and transparent processes for promotion and hiring, mentorship, and sponsorship of women physicians for grand rounds, lectureships, committees, leadership positions, and awards. Achievement of equity for women physicians requires effort and ultimately a culture change. Gender equity in the medical profession will lead to improved physician wellness, retention of women physicians, and improved access to and quality of health care.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Physician burnout, wellness, and resilience have become increasingly important topics of discussion worldwide. While studies have assessed burnout globally in various individual countries, few studies directly compare or analyze gender-based physician burnout among different global regions. METHODS:Female physicians attending the Medical Women's International Association (MWIA) Centennial Congress completed the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) which evaluates personal-, work-, and patient-related burnout using a scale of 0 to 100. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 1-way ANOVA to compare burnout scores amongst women physicians from different global regions. RESULTS:Of 100 physicians invited to participate, 76 provided responses and 71 met the inclusion criteria. Mean burnout scores were highest amongst women from Africa in all categories. Mean work-related, patient-related, and personal-related burnout scores were significantly lower for physicians in Europe compared to Africa (p = 0.05) when evaluated using a 1-way ANOVA, with no statistically significant differences between other regions. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:The data suggests that there may be regional differences in the prevalence of burnout in women physicians. Various factors could play a role in explaining the higher burnout scores in female physicians in Africa, including younger average age, establishing practice during childbearing years, and significant physician shortage. Through this study, we have begun to explore the cultural and geographical context related to women's mental and physical wellbeing in the medical field. Further research should focus on the gender-specific contributors to burnout among different global regions, so that methods can be implemented on a systemic level to alleviate burnout.

BACKGROUND:The aim of this systematic review was to identify principles of exercise interventions associated with improved physical function, weight management or musculoskeletal pain relief among young and middle-aged adults with obesity and propose an evidence-based exercise prescription that could assist in secondary prevention of osteoarthritis. METHODS:A structured electronic review was conducted using MEDLINE, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. The search string included 1) "obes*" AND "exercise" AND "interven*" AND "musculoskeletal pain OR knee pain OR hip pain". Studies 1) were randomized controlled trials of humans, with a non-exercise control, 2) included participants aged 18-50 years, and 3) had outcomes that included physical function, musculoskeletal pain, and/or body composition. Studies were excluded if participants had peri-menopausal status, cancer, or obesity-related co-morbidities. A recommended exercise prescription was developed based on common principles used in the included exercise interventions with greatest change in function or pain. RESULTS:), frequency (three times per week), duration (30-60 min), and exercise mode (treadmill, cross-trainer, stationary bike, aquatic exercise) were observed in exercise interventions that resulted in improved physical function and/or pain, compared to non-exercise control groups. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Common principles in exercise prescription for improvements in weight management, physical function and pain relief among otherwise healthy people with obesity. Exercise prescription including moderate intensity exercise for 30-60 min, three times per week can be considered an effective treatment for weight management and obesity-related musculoskeletal symptoms. Exercise should be recommended to at-risk individuals as part of secondary prevention of osteoarthritis.

Introduction: A 2016 survey of 1,003 primary care physicians, 250 obstetrician- gynecologists, and 253 nurse practitioners in the U.S. found that most did not correctly answer questions on evidence-based obesity management guidelines, suggesting the need for better education. To improve training of health care providers (HCPs), The Obesity Medicine Education Collaborative (OMEC), a group of 15 professional societies, was formed to develop a competency-based framework for undergraduate and graduate medical education and fellowship training on obesity.
Method(s): Six working groups were created to establish measurable obesity- focused competencies for each of the Six Core Domains of the U.S. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Between August 2016 and September 2017, working group members collaborated by in-person meetings, teleconferences, and emails to identify competencies and define developmental milestones. In October 2017, the 32 obesity related competencies were circulated to 17 professional societies for review. Based upon this feedback, the working groups made revisions to the competencies.
Result(s): A final document describing 32 Obesity-focused competencies and assessment benchmarks was completed in April 2018, and endorsed by 20 professional societies. The Core Domains and number of competencies are: Practice-Based Learning and Improvement 5 Patient Care and Procedural Skills 5 System-based Practice 4 Medical Knowledge 13 Interpersonal and Communication Skills 3 Professionalism 2
Conclusion(s): Through a collaborative effort, obesity-focused competencies and benchmarks for training of HCPs were developed. Communication and discussion of these competencies with other professional organizations both in and outside the U.S. is ongoing and will be useful in the development of training programs globally that will improve knowledge of obesity management. (Table presented)

This trial compared the effects of daily treatment with vitamin D or placebo for 1 year on blood tests of vitamin D status. The results demonstrated that daily 4000 IU vitamin D3 is required to achieve blood levels associated with lowest disease risks, and this dose should be tested in future trials for fracture prevention. INTRODUCTION: The aim of this trial was to assess the effects of daily supplementation with vitamin D3 4000 IU (100 mug), 2000 IU (50 mug) or placebo for 1 year on biochemical markers of vitamin D status in preparation for a large trial for prevention of fractures and other outcomes. METHODS: This is a randomized placebo-controlled trial in 305 community-dwelling people aged 65 years or older in Oxfordshire, UK. Outcomes included biochemical markers of vitamin D status (plasma 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25[OH]D], parathyroid hormone [PTH], calcium and alkaline phosphatase), cardiovascular risk factors and tests of physical function. RESULTS: Mean (SD) plasma 25(OH)D levels were 50 (18) nmol/L at baseline and increased to 137 (39), 102 (25) and 53 (16) nmol/L after 12 months in those allocated 4000 IU, 2000 IU or placebo, respectively (with 88%, 70% and 1% of these groups achieving the pre-specified level of >90 nmol/L). Neither dose of vitamin D3 was associated with significant deviation outside the normal range of PTH or albumin-corrected calcium. The additional effect on 25(OH)D levels of 4000 versus 2000 IU was similar in all subgroups except for body mass index, for which the further increase was smaller in overweight and obese participants compared with normal-weight participants. Supplementation with vitamin D had no significant effects on cardiovascular risk factors or on measures of physical function. CONCLUSIONS: After accounting for average 70% compliance in long-term trials, doses of 4000 IU vitamin D3 daily may be required to achieve plasma 25(OH)D levels associated with lowest disease risk in observational studies.

BACKGROUND: In the US familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), patients are underidentified, despite an estimated prevalence of 1:200 to 1:500. Criteria to identify FH patients include Simon Broome, Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN), or Make Early Diagnosis to Prevent Early Deaths (MEDPED). The use of these criteria in US clinical practices remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the FH diagnostic criteria applied by US lipid specialists participating in the FH Foundation's CASCADE FH (CAscade SCreening for Awareness and DEtection of Familial Hypercholesterolemia) patient registry. METHODS: We performed an observational, cross-sectional analysis of diagnostic criteria chosen for each adult patient, both overall and by baseline patient characteristics, at 15 clinical sites that had contributed data to the registry as of September 8, 2015. A sample of 1867 FH adults was analyzed. The median age at FH diagnosis was 50 years, and the median pretreatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) value was 238 mg/dL. The main outcome was the diagnostic criteria chosen. Diagnostic criteria were divided into five nonexclusive categories: "clinical diagnosis," MEDPED, Simon Broome, DLCN, and other. RESULTS: Most adults enrolled in CASCADE FH (55.0%) received a "clinical diagnosis." The most commonly used formal criteria was Simon-Broome only (21%), followed by multiple diagnostic criteria (16%), MEDPED only (7%), DLCN only (1%), and other (0.5%), P < .0001. Of the patients with only a "clinical diagnosis," 93% would have met criteria for Simon Broome, DLCN, or MEDPED based on the data available in the registry. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate heterogeneity in the application of FH diagnostic criteria in the United States. A nationwide consensus definition may lead to better identification, earlier treatment, and ultimately CHD prevention.

BACKGROUND: -Cardiovascular disease burden and treatment patterns among patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in the US remain poorly described. In 2013, the FH Foundation launched the CAscade SCreening for Awareness and DEtection (CASCADE) of FH Registry to address this knowledge gap. METHODS AND RESULTS: -We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1295 adults with heterozygous FH enrolled in the CASCADE-FH Registry from 11 US lipid clinics. Median age at initiation of lipid-lowering therapy was 39 years, and median age at FH diagnosis was 47 years. Prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD) was reported in 36% of patients, and 61% exhibited 1 or more modifiable risk factors. Median untreated LDL-C was 239 mg/dl. At enrollment, median LDL-C was 141 mg/dl; 42% of patients were taking high-intensity statin therapy; and 45% received >1 LDL-lowering medication. Among FH patients receiving LDL-lowering medication(s), 25% achieved an LDL-C <100 mg/dl, and 41% achieved a >/=50% LDL-C reduction. Factors associated with prevalent CHD included diabetes (adjusted OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.08-2.82) and hypertension (2.48; 1.92-3.21). Factors associated with a >/=50% LDL-C reduction from untreated levels included high-intensity statin use (7.33; 1.86-28.86) and use of >1 LDL-lowering medication (1.80; 1.34-2.41). CONCLUSIONS: -FH patients in the CASCADE-FH Registry are diagnosed late in life and often do not achieve adequate LDL-C lowering, despite a high prevalence of CHD and risk factors. These findings highlight the need for earlier diagnosis of FH and initiation of lipid-lowering therapy, more consistent use of guideline-recommended LDL-lowering therapy, and comprehensive management of traditional CHD risk factors.

The nocebo effect, the inverse of the placebo effect, is a well-established phenomenon that is under-appreciated in cardiovascular medicine. It refers to adverse events, usually purely subjective, that result from expectations of harm from a drug, placebo, other therapeutic intervention or a nonmedical situation. These expectations can be driven by many factors including the informed consent form in a clinical trial, warnings about adverse effects communicated by clinicians when prescribing a drug, and information in the media about the dangers of certain treatments. The nocebo effect is the best explanation for the high rate of muscle and other symptoms attributed to statins in observational studies and clinical practice, but not in randomized controlled trials, where muscle symptoms, and rates of discontinuation due to any adverse event, are generally similar in the statin and placebo groups. Statin-intolerant patients usually tolerate statins under double-blind conditions, indicating that the intolerance has little if any pharmacological basis. Known techniques for minimizing the nocebo effect can be applied to the prevention and management of statin intolerance.