Faculty Bibliography

Widespread pain (WP) is associated with reduced function and disability. Importantly, three-fourths of the approximately 42% of U.S. adults with obesity have WP. Moreover, rates of adult obesity are higher, and WP outcomes are worse in racialized non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/X groups, potentially exacerbating existing pain disparities. Bariatric surgery significantly reduces weight and improves pain. However, recurrent or unresolved pain after bariatric surgery can hinder weight loss or facilitate weight regain. The current study conducted a secondary analysis of a longitudinal study of predictors and mechanisms of weight loss after bariatric surgery to examine the point prevalence of WP and pain trajectories 24 months post surgery. Our secondary aim was to examine the association between weight loss and pain characteristics. Our exploratory aim was to longitudinally examine racial differences in pain trajectories after bariatric surgery. Our results showed that point prevalence decreased after bariatric surgery. Additionally, significant improvements in pain trajectories occurred within the first 3 months post surgery with a pattern of pain reemergence beginning at 12 months post surgery. Hispanic/Latino/a/X participants reported a higher number of painful anatomical sites before bariatric surgery, and the rate of change in this domain for this group was faster compared with the racialized non-Hispanic Black participants. These findings suggest that pain improvements are most evident during the early stages of surgical weight loss in racialized populations of adults with WP. Thus, clinicians should routinely monitor patients' weight changes after bariatric surgery as they are likely to correspond to changes in their pain experiences. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the prevalence and pain trajectories of racialized adults with WP after surgical weight loss. Clinicians should evaluate changes in the magnitude and spatial distribution of pain after significant weight change in these populations so that pain interventions can be prescribed with greater precision.

Helmink MAG, Hageman SHJ, Eliasson B, et al. Lifetime and 10-year cardiovascular risk prediction in individuals with type 1 diabetes: the LIFE-T1D model. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024;26:2229-2238. 38456579.

BACKGROUND:Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have increased risk for developing chronic conditions, though few studies assess rates of diagnosis of these conditions among patients with SUDs. OBJECTIVE:To compare rates of undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes among patients with and without an SUD. DESIGN/METHODS:Cross-sectional analysis using electronic health record (EHR) data from 58 primary care clinics at a large, urban, healthcare system in New York. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:Patients who had at least two primary care visits from 2019-2022 were included in our patient sample. Patients without an ICD-10 hypertension diagnosis or prescribed hypertension medications and with at least two blood pressure (BP) readings ≥ 140/90 mm were labeled 'undiagnosed hypertension,' and patients without a diabetes diagnosis or prescribed diabetes medications and with A1C/hemoglobin ≥ 6.5% were labeled 'undiagnosed diabetes.' MAIN MEASURES/METHODS:We calculated the mean number of patients with and without an ICD-10 SUD diagnosis who were diagnosed and undiagnosed for each condition. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess the association between being undiagnosed for each condition, and having an SUD diagnosis, patient demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics (body mass index, Elixhauser comorbidity count, diagnosed HIV and psychosis), the percentage of visits without a BP screening, and the total number of visits during the time period. KEY RESULTS/RESULTS:The percentage of patients with undiagnosed hypertension (2.74%) and diabetes (22.98%) was higher amongst patients with SUD than patients without SUD. In multivariate models, controlling for other factors, patients with SUD had significantly higher odds of having undiagnosed hypertension (OR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.48, 2.20) and undiagnosed diabetes (OR: 1.93; 1.72, 2.16). Being younger, female, and having an HIV diagnosis was also associated with significantly higher odds for being undiagnosed. CONCLUSIONS:We found significant disparities in rates of undiagnosed chronic diseases among patients with SUDs, compared with patients without SUDs.

HIV-associated wasting (HIVAW) is an underappreciated AIDS-defining illness, despite highly effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). We (a) assessed the association between incident HIVAW/low weight and all-cause mortality and (b) described virologic outcomes after people with HIV (PWH) experienced HIVAW/low weight while on ART. In the Observational Pharmaco-Epidemiology Research & Analysis (OPERA^®) cohort, PWH without prior HIVAW/low weight who were active in care in 2016-2020 were followed through the first of the following censoring events: death, loss to follow-up, or study end (October 31, 2021). HIVAW/low weight was a diagnosis of wasting or low body mass index (BMI)/underweight or a BMI measurement <20 kg/m². Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between time-dependent HIVAW/low weight and mortality were estimated with extended Cox regression models. Over a median follow-up of 45 months (interquartile range: 27, 65), there were 4,755 (8%) cases of HIVAW/low weight and 1,354 (2%) deaths among 62,314 PWH. PWH who experienced HIVAW/low weight had a significantly higher risk of death than those who did not (HR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.68, 2.27) after adjusting for age, race, ethnicity, and changes in viral load (VL) and Veterans Aging Cohort Study Mortality Index scores over follow-up. Among 4,572 PWH on ART at HIVAW/low weight, 68% were suppressed (VL of <200 copies/mL); subsequent virologic failure was uncommon (7%). Among viremic PWH, 70% and 60% achieved suppression and undetectability (VL of <50 copies/mL), respectively, over follow-up. HIVAW remains a challenge for some PWH. Particular attention needs to be paid to HIVAW/low weight and virologic control to restore health and potentially reduce the risk of death.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:As the COVID-19 pandemic forced most colleges and universities to go online, student health centers rapidly shifted to telehealth platforms without frameworks for virtual care provision. An urban student health center implemented a needs assessment involving unannounced standardized patients (USPs) to evaluate the integration of a new telehealth workflow and clinicians' virtual communication skills. METHODS:From April to May 2021, USPs conducted two video visits with 12 primary care and four women's health clinicians (N = 16 clinicians; 32 visits). Cases included (1) a 21-year-old female presenting for birth control with a positive Patient Health Questionaire-9 and (2) a 21-year-old male, who vapes regularly, with questions regarding safe sex with men. Clinicians were evaluated using a checklist completed by the USP immediately following the visit and a systematic chart review of the electronic health record. RESULTS:USP feedback indicates most clinicians received high ratings for general communication skills but may benefit from educational intervention in several key telemedicine skills. Clinicians struggled with using nonverbal signals to enrich communication (47% well done), acknowledging emotions (34% well done), and using video for information gathering (34% well done). Low rates of standard screenings (e.g., 63% administered the PHQ-2, <50% asked about alcohol use) suggested protocols for in-person care were not easily incorporated into telehealth practices, and clinicians may benefit from enhanced care team support. Performance reports were shared with clinicians and leadership postvisit. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Results suggest project design and implementation is scalable and feasible for use at other institutions, offering a structured methodology that can improve general student health care.

Black and Hispanic adolescents in New York City experience high rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. A comprehensive understanding of the complexity of adolescent sexual health and family planning decisions and experiences can provide insights into the sustained disparities and inform practice, policy, and future research. The goal of this study was to explore and analyze this complexity, centering Black and Hispanic adolescent mothers as the experts on sexual and reproductive experiences from pre-pregnancy through parenting. As part of formative research for a human-centered design study, we interviewed 16 Black and Hispanic adolescent mothers living in New York City. Using situational analysis, we mapped relationships, discourse, and social structures to explore the various factors that inform adolescent sexual health decisions, in particular choices about contraception. Situational analysis found that, besides interpersonal factors, organizations and non-human elements like social media and physical birth control devices affected adolescent family planning in three social arenas: home, healthcare, and school. Within and across these arenas, adolescents lacked consistent sexual health education and contraceptive counseling and faced gendered expectations of their behaviors. Participants described parents and healthcare providers as most responsible for providing sexual health counseling yet described parents as uncomfortable or overreactive and healthcare workers as paternalistic and biased. A consideration of the many factors that inform sexual health decision-making and recognition of adolescents"™ desire for parents and healthcare providers to be a source of education can address health disparities and promote adolescent sexual health and wellbeing.