Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Awareness of disease status has been identified as a factor in the treatment decision-making process. Women with recurrent ovarian cancer are facing the challenge of making treatment decisions throughout the disease trajectory. It is not understood how women with ovarian cancer perceive their disease and subsequently make treatment decisions. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of women with recurrent ovarian cancer, how they understood their disease and made their treatment decisions. METHODS:A qualitative design with a descriptive phenomenological method was used to conduct 2 in-depth interviews with 12 women (n = 24 interviews). Each interview was ∼60 minutes and was digitally recorded and professionally transcribed. Data collection focused on patients' understanding of their disease and how patients participated in treatment decisions. A modified version of Colaizzi's method of phenomenological reduction guided data analysis. RESULTS:Three themes emerged to describe the phenomenon of being aware of disease status: (1) perceiving recurrent ovarian cancer as a chronic illness, (2) perceived inability to make treatment decisions, and (3) enduring emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:This study revealed how 12 women conceptualized recurrent ovarian cancer as a chronic disease and their perceived inability to make treatment decisions because of lack of information and professional qualifications, resulting in enduring emotional distress. Future research should replicate the study to confirm the persistence of the themes for racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse patient samples and to improve understanding of awareness of disease status and decision-making processes of patients.

Introduction: It is widely held that the likelihood of having a sleep disorder increases with age and that this is especially true of Insomnia, OSA, and RLS. Few studies, however, have been conducted that concurrently assess how symptoms vary with age while simultaneously taking into account multiple sleep disorders. The present analysis evaluates the prevalence of ten sleep disorders symptoms across four age cohorts.
Method(s): An archival analysis was conducted on an existing database of 4,206 individuals who completed an on-line screening survey at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http- 3A__www.sleeplessinphilly.com&d=DwIBAg&c=j5oPpO0eBH1iio48DtsedeElZfc04rx3ExJHeIIZuCs&r=CY_ mkeBghQnUPnp2mckgsNSbUXISJaiBQUhM-Uz9W58&m=_icVcFoc7ulJmPF3ojT4VQ- keh3a2N4OhtHGRLx7AN4&s=GRc5DD1Hlq9WkqeVHjBH7X9hXNa8mcKsHyVAl9iK8QI&e=. Subjects were grouped into four age categories (matched for race, BMI, and gender): Young Adults (YA[18-29]), Adults (A[30-44]), Middle Aged Adults (MA[45-65]) and Older Adults (OA[65-89]). The sleep disorders symptoms assessed were for insomnia (problems with SL, WASO or EMA), snoring, [witnessed apneas], gasping, AM headaches, EDS, sleep attacks, muscular weakness with strong emotion, nightmares, and unpleasant sensations in the legs near bedtime. Contingency and Chi-Square analyses were used to assess for age group differences.
Result(s): Each age group was comprised of 180 subjects (total n=720, ~55% female). There were significant age related differences (and linear trends) for: Insomnia ([All:85.8%]; [YA:73.3%]<[A:87 .8%]=[MA:88.3%]<[OA:93.9%],p < 0.001); Snoring ([All:44.2%]; [YA:26.7%]<[A:41.1%]<[MA:55%]>[OA:53.9%],p < 0.001); and Witnessed apneas ([All: 28.1%]; [YA:17.8%]<[A:27.2%]=[MA:33. 3%]=[OA:33.9%],p = 0.002). There were age group differences (but not linear trends) for: Nightmares ([All: 50.7%]; [YA:57.2%]=[MA :57.2%]=[A:48.3%]>[OA:40%],p = 0.002); Headaches ([All:31.4%]; [A:43.3%]>[MA:32.2%]=[YA:29.4%]>[OA:20.6%], p < 0.001); and Muscular weakness ([All: 25.7%]; [A:30.6%)=[YA:28.9%)=[MA:25 .6%)>[OA:17.8%],p = 0.028). There were no significant age differences for EDS (All:53.6%), gasping (All:20.6%), RLS symptoms (All:22.1%), or sleep attacks (All:17.2%).
Conclusion(s): While sleep disorders symptoms vary with age, linear trends appear to be evident only for insomnia and the OSA symptoms of snoring and witnessed apneas. Note: One limitation of the present analysis is that the sample was populated by subjects with sleep complaints. This resulted in higher overall prevalence than is typical in population data

OBJECTIVE:Tildrakizumab, an inhibitor of the p19 subunit of interleukin (IL)-23, was recently Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. This article will review the phase II and III clinical trial data of tildrakizumab. DATA SOURCES:A PubMed search from January 2000 to September 2018 was done with the search terms tildrakizumab, guselkumab, risankizumab, p19, interleukin-23, and psoriasis. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Articles discussing phase II and III clinical trial data for tildrakizumab were selected. DATA SYNTHESIS:In phase II and phase III trials, tildrakizumab was safe and efficacious compared with placebo and etanercept. More patients achieved Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 75 receiving tildrakizumab (200 mg, 62%-74%; 100 mg, 61%-66%; 25 mg, 64%; 5 mg, 33%) compared with placebo (4%-6%, P < 0.0001) and etanercept (48%, P = 0.01). More patients achieved Physician Global Assessment (PGA) response of "clear" or "minimal" receiving tildrakizumab (200 mg, 59%; 100 mg, 55%-58%) than the placebo group (4%-7%, P < 0.0001). 59% of patients who received tildrakizumab 200 mg achieved a PGA response of "clear" or "minimal" compared with etanercept (48%, P = 0.0031). The most common adverse effect was infection. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Tildrakizumab is a new, FDA-approved, physician-administered biological therapy for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. It appears to be efficacious and safe so far. CONCLUSION:Tildrakizumab is efficacious and safe for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. IL-23/p19 inhibitors are a promising class of biological therapy.

Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type (ST) 307 is an emerging global antimicrobial drug-resistant clone. We used whole-genome sequencing and PCR to characterize K. pneumoniae ST307 with oxacillinase (OXA) 181 carbapenemase across several private hospitals in South Africa during 2014-2016. The South Africa ST307 belonged to a different clade (clade VI) with unique genomic characteristics when compared with global ST307 (clades I-V). Bayesian evolution analysis showed that clade VI emerged around March 2013 in Gauteng Province, South Africa, and then evolved during 2014 into 2 distinct lineages. K. pneumoniae ST307 clade VI with OXA-181 disseminated over a 15-month period within 42 hospitals in 23 cities across 6 northeastern provinces, affecting 350 patients. The rapid expansion of ST307 was most likely due to intrahospital, interhospital, intercity, and interprovince movements of patients. This study highlights the importance of molecular surveillance for tracking emerging antimicrobial clones.

Rising physician burnout has adverse effects on healthcare. This study aimed to identify remediable stressors associated with burnout using the 10-item Mini-Z and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and to compare performance of the Mini-Z's single-item burnout metric against the 22-item MBI. Surveys were emailed to 4,118 clinicians affiliated with an academic health system; 1,252 clicked the link, and 557 responded (completion rate 44%). Four hundred seventy-five practicing physicians were included: academic faculty (372), hospital employed (52), and private practitioners (81). Prevalence of burnout via the MBI was 56.6%. Predictors of burnout were poor control over workload [OR = 8.24, 95% CI 4.(81, 14.11)], inefficient teamwork [OR = 7.61, 95% (CI 3.28, 17.67)], insufficient documentation time [OR = 5.83, 95% (CI 3.35, 10.15)], hectic-chaotic work atmosphere [OR = 3.49, 95% (CI 2.12, 5.74)], lack of value-alignment with leadership [OR = 3.27, 95% (CI 2.12, 5.74)], and excessive electronic medical record time at home [OR = 1.99, 95% CI (1.21, 3.27)]. Academic faculty experienced more burnout than private practitioners (59.9% vs. 42.0%, p = 0.013). Odds of burnout associated with stressors were generally concordant via Mini-Z's burnout metric versus the MBI. The Mini-Z is a brief, valid method to identify stressors associated with burnout and guide interventions.

OBJECTIVE:Discharge to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) is common in patients with heart failure (HF). It is unknown whether the transition from SNF to home is risky for these patients. Our objective was to study outcomes for the 30 days after discharge from SNF to home among Medicare patients hospitalized with HF who had subsequent SNF stays of 30 days or less. DESIGN/METHODS:Retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:All Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries 65 and older admitted during 2012-2015 with a HF diagnosis discharged to SNF then subsequently discharged home. MEASURES/METHODS:Patients were followed for 30 days following SNF discharge. We categorized patients by SNF length of stay: 1 to 6 days, 7 to 13 days, and 14 to 30 days. For each group, we modeled time to a composite outcome of unplanned readmission or death after SNF discharge. Our model examined 0-2 days and 3-30 days post-SNF discharge. RESULTS:Our study included 67,585 HF hospitalizations discharged to SNF and subsequently discharged home. Overall, 16,333 (24.2%) SNF discharges to home were readmitted within 30 days of SNF discharge. The hazard rate of the composite outcome for each group was significantly increased on days 0 to 2 after SNF discharge compared to days 3 to 30, as reflected in their hazard rate ratios: for patients with SNF length of stay 1 to 6 days, 4.60 (4.23-5.00); SNF length of stay 7 to 13 days, 2.61 (2.45-2.78); SNF length of stay 14 to 30 days, 1.70 (1.62-1.78). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:The hazard rate of readmission after SNF discharge following HF hospitalization is highest during the first 2 days home. This risk attenuated with longer SNF length of stay. Interventions to improve postdischarge outcomes have primarily focused on hospital discharge. This evidence suggests that interventions to reduce readmissions may be more effective if they also incorporate the SNF-to-home transition.

Background: Although the population of older adults is rising rapidly, the number of physicians seeking specialty training in geriat-rics is decreasing. This study of fellows in geriatrics training programs across the United States explored motivating factors that led fellows to pursue geriatrics as a career in order to inform the recruiting of more trainees to the field.
Method(s): 10-15 fellows were sought for interviews, until satu-ration was reached. 30-minute semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted by the primary investigator with fifteen geriatrics fellows from academic medical centers across the United States, 14 of whom were at Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers. This qualitative study involved interviews that were tran-scribed and descriptively coded by two independent reviewers. A thematic analysis of the codes was summarized.
Result(s): Fifteen geriatrics fellows in seven different states partic-ipated in the study, and they revealed that mentorship and early clin-ical exposure to geriatrics were some of the most influential factors affecting career choice. Having positive attitudes and close relation-ships with older adults prior to medical school are other critical factors in influencing trainees to pursue careers in geriatrics.
Conclusion(s): The results of this study have the potential for a large impact, helping to inform best practices in encouraging trainees to enter the field, and enhancing medical student and resident exposure to geriatrics and mentorship from geriatricians. As the number of older individuals rises, we need innovative ways to draw medical students and residents to geriatrics. This study demonstrates the need for geri-atricians to serve not only as mentors to trainees but also as proactive ambassadors to the field

Following a 1983 chromic acid (hexavalent chromium [CrVI]) spill from a Garfield, NJ electroplating plant, CrVI-contaminated water was found in a local firehouse basement in 1993. An ATSDR public health advisory was issued for the plant site in 2010, and from 2008-2015, fourteen residential properties have required remediation to address CrVI-contaminated dust in the basements. As part of the Community Outreach and Engagement Core of the NYU NIEHS Center, seventytwo Garfield residents aged 18-65 years, participated in a community survey with the goal of identifying concerns related to environmental and community health. Thirty-two percent responded that they 'didn't know' if they were exposed to chemicals or pollutants where they live. This finding suggests a limited awareness of environmental chemical exposures, chromium contamination and/or potential exposure to CrVI. Furthermore, toenail clippings were collected from forty-seven Garfield residents and analyzed for total chromium levels to assess potential long-term exposure. On average, residents living on/inside the contaminated plume area had higher total chromium levels in their toenail clippings than residents living outside the plume area. However, chromium levels for all participants were within the range of historical normal. This study highlights the value of partnerships between environmentally-impacted community's and academic scientists working together to identify potential contaminant exposures and address public health concerns through research and environmental health education.

Cushing's syndrome is associated with multisystem morbidity and, when suboptimally treated, increased mortality. Medical therapy is an option for patients if surgery is not successful and can be classified into pituitary-directed drugs, steroid synthesis inhibitors, and glucocorticoid receptor antagonists. In the last decade there have been new developments in each drug category. Targeting dopamine and somatostatin receptors on corticotroph adenomas with cabergoline or pasireotide, or both, controls cortisol production in up to 40% of patients. Potential new targets in corticotroph adenomas include the epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclin-dependent kinases, and heat shock protein 90. Osilodrostat and levoketoconazole are new inhibitors of steroidogenesis and are currently being evaluated in multicentre trials. CORT125134 is a new selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist under investigation. We summarise the drug therapies for various forms of Cushing's syndrome and focus on emerging drugs and drug targets that have the potential for new and effective tailor-made pharmacotherapy for patients with Cushing's syndrome.

We examined the prevalence of infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV in a cohort of young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men [sexual minority men (SMM)]. HPV vaccination uptake was assessed; HIV antibody testing was performed and genetic testing for oral and anal HPV infection was undertaken. We examined both HPV vaccination and infection in relation to key demographic and structural variables. Participants (n = 486) were on average 23 years old; 70% identified as a member of a racial/ethnic minority group, and 7% identified as transgender females. Only 18.1% of the participants indicated having received the full dosage of HPV vaccination and 45.1% were unvaccinated. Slightly over half the participants (58.6%) were infected with HPV, with 58.1% testing positive for anal infection and 8.8% for oral infection. HIV seropositivity was associated with infection to oral HPV [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.03] and vaccine-preventable HPV, whereas both neighborhood-level poverty (AOR = 1.68) and HIV infection (AOR = 31.13) were associated with anal infection to HPV (AOR = 1.68). Prevalence of HPV infection is high among unvaccinated young SMM, despite the availability and eligibility for vaccination. HPV infection adds further health burden to these populations and is particularly concerning for those who are HIV positive as HIV infection increases the risk of developing HPV-related cancers. These findings underscore a missed prevention opportunity for an at-risk and underserved population and suggest the need for active strategies to increase HPV vaccination uptake in young SMM before the onset of sexual behavior.