Faculty Bibliography
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department:Medicine. General Internal Medicine
recentyears:2
school:SOM
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14543
Demographic predictors of nonHDL-C increase during COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home period
The onset of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted unique public health measures including stay-at-home (SAH) orders that provoked altered dietary and exercise patterns and may have affected medication access and use. Although these impacts have the potential to influence lipid levels, little is known of the consequences of COVID-19 SAH on objective atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors. We performed a patient-level analysis of the primary measure of atherogenic lipid-associated risk, nonHDL-C during the 2020 SAH period and the same time period in 2019, in patients within a large health system in New York City. We found that women and racial and ethnic minority group members were more likely to exhibit substantial worsening of atherogenic lipid profile (≥38 mg/dL increase in nonHDL-C) during this period. Our results suggest that the pandemic and subsequent public health measures may have produced unintended negative consequences on already at-risk groups.
PMCID:8503967
PMID: 34661184
ISSN: 2666-6677
CID: 5081552
Learning the language of health equity [Editorial]
PMID: 34661911
ISSN: 1098-240x
CID: 5037242
Access and Analytics: What the Military Can Teach Us About Health Equity [Comment]
PMID: 34878876
ISSN: 1541-0048
CID: 5109492
Decline in subarachnoid haemorrhage volumes associated with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
BACKGROUND:During the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased volumes of stroke admissions and mechanical thrombectomy were reported. The study's objective was to examine whether subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions demonstrated similar declines. METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study across 6 continents, 37 countries and 140 comprehensive stroke centres. Patients with the diagnosis of SAH, aneurysmal SAH, ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions and COVID-19 were identified by prospective aneurysm databases or by International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes. The 3-month cumulative volume, monthly volumes for SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling procedures were compared for the period before (1 year and immediately before) and during the pandemic, defined as 1 March-31 May 2020. The prior 1-year control period (1 March-31 May 2019) was obtained to account for seasonal variation. FINDINGS/RESULTS:There was a significant decline in SAH hospitalisations, with 2044 admissions in the 3 months immediately before and 1585 admissions during the pandemic, representing a relative decline of 22.5% (95% CI -24.3% to -20.7%, p<0.0001). Embolisation of ruptured aneurysms declined with 1170-1035 procedures, respectively, representing an 11.5% (95%CI -13.5% to -9.8%, p=0.002) relative drop. Subgroup analysis was noted for aneurysmal SAH hospitalisation decline from 834 to 626 hospitalisations, a 24.9% relative decline (95% CI -28.0% to -22.1%, p<0.0001). A relative increase in ruptured aneurysm coiling was noted in low coiling volume hospitals of 41.1% (95% CI 32.3% to 50.6%, p=0.008) despite a decrease in SAH admissions in this tertile. INTERPRETATION/CONCLUSIONS:There was a relative decrease in the volume of SAH hospitalisations, aneurysmal SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm embolisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings in SAH are consistent with a decrease in other emergencies, such as stroke and myocardial infarction.
PMCID:8006491
PMID: 33771936
ISSN: 2059-8696
CID: 4830292
The association between housing and food insecurity among medically underserved cancer patients
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To assess the prevalence of socioeconomic needs and associations between housing characteristics and food insecurity among low-income cancer patients, among whom housing and food insecurity are particularly prevalent. METHODS:Low-income cancer patients in active treatment (N = 1618) were enrolled in a comprehensive patient navigation program. Food insecurity was assessed using the 18-item US Department of Agriculture US Household Food Security Survey Module. Participants self-reported their need for assistance with housing issues/type of assistance needed, perception of overcrowding, satisfaction with living situation, and household density via a cross-sectional survey. Descriptive analyses, cross-tabulations and tests of proportions, and binary logistic regression were used in data analyses. RESULTS:Seventy percent of patients were food insecure. Housing characteristics associated with food insecurity were homelessness or living in sheltered/supportive housing (83.3% food insecure), renting (71.9%), and homeownership (58.1%; p < .001); living situation satisfaction (not satisfied, 79.4%; somewhat satisfied, 25.6%; very satisfied, 66%; p < .001); need of housing assistance (79.2%; p < .001), and feeling crowded in their living unit (77.6%; p < .05). Associations of living unit type with food insecurity were significant in the binary logistic regression model (renters 1.68 OR, homeless/sheltered housing 2.80 OR vs homeowners). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The vulnerability to food insecurity of patients in this low-income sample was underlined by the high rates found, and clear associations with housing characteristics of homelessness, housing assistance needs, and feeling overcrowded were identified. These results could help shape priorities around screening patients for nutrition and housing needs and developing interventions to address them.
PMCID:8225310
PMID: 34169329
ISSN: 1433-7339
CID: 4937362
On Recommending Specific Lung Ultrasound Protocols in the Assessment of Medical Inpatients with Known or Suspected Coronavirus Disease-19 Reply [Letter]
PMID: 33555607
ISSN: 1550-9613
CID: 4779362
Telephone Patient Navigation Increases Follow-Up Hepatitis B Care in the Postpartum Period for Immigrants Living in New York City
Hepatitis B is a major public health threat which leads to serious liver disease or cancer and disproportionately impacts immigrants. Pregnant people are routinely tested for hepatitis B to prevent perinatal transmission but may themselves not receive appropriate education and referrals. People contacted as part of the local health department's perinatal hepatitis B prevention program were offered culturally appropriate telephone patient navigation services to test if this would improve adherence with postpartum hepatitis B care. Four-hundred and nine people were enrolled in the intervention. Using laboratory-reported surveillance data as the outcome measure, those receiving the intervention were 1.66 times as likely to see a hepatitis B care provider within 6Â months of childbirth compared with those who did not. Culturally appropriate patient navigation can improve adherence with recommended hepatitis B care in the postpartum period. Health departments can use similar interventions to address liver health disparities in immigrant populations.
PMID: 34313899
ISSN: 1557-1920
CID: 5325102
How Clinicians Manage Routinely Low Supplies of Personal Protective Equipment
BACKGROUND:Recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) is routinely limited or unavailable in low-income countries, but there is limited research as to how clinicians adapt to that scarcity, despite its implications for patients and workers. METHODS:This is a qualitative secondary analysis of case study data collected in Liberia in 2019. Data from the parent study were included in this analysis if it addressed availability and use of PPE in the clinical setting. Conventional content analysis was used on data including: field notes documenting nurse practice, semi-structured interview transcripts, and photographs. FINDINGS/RESULTS:Data from the majority of participants (32/37) and all facilities (12/12) in the parent studies were included. 83% of facilities reported limited PPE. Five management strategies for coping with limited PPE supplies were observed, reported, or both: rationing PPE, self-purchasing PPE, asking patients to purchase PPE, substituting PPE, and working without PPE. Approaches to rationing PPE included using PPE only for symptomatic patients or not performing physical exams. Substitutions for PPE were based on supply availability. CONCLUSIONS:Strategies developed by clinicians to manage low PPE likely have negative consequences for both workers and patients; further research into the topic is important, as is better PPE provision in low-income countries.
PMID: 34416315
ISSN: 1527-3296
CID: 4968912
Adherence to levetiracetam for management of epilepsy: Assessment with electronic monitors
INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Anti-seizure medications are used to manage epilepsy and require long-term adherence to maintain therapeutic drug levels. We assessed adherence to levetiracetam and the use of a digital intervention to improve adherence in patients with epilepsy. METHODS:30 participants with epilepsy were randomized 1:1 either to a digital email adherence intervention or control group. All patients were provided levetiracetam equipped with electronic monitoring caps to assess patient adherence to medication. Patients were followed for 6 months, with return visits at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. RESULTS:Subjects randomized to the control arm (n = 15) took 66% of the prescribed doses compared to the intervention group, who took 65% of prescribed doses (n = 15). Nine participants did not complete the study. Of the twenty-one participants that completed the study, the overall rate of adherence was 72% of prescribed doses taken. Two subjects in the control group and three subjects in the intervention group were adherent every month of the study-taking at least 80% of prescribed doses. Those randomized to the control group took the correct number of doses 44% of days in the study, and those in the intervention group took the correct number of doses 37% of days. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Poor adherence to levetiracetam is common. An internet-based email survey intervention did not improve adherence to levetiracetam in epilepsy patients. Further advances in adherence are needed to help patients receive the maximum benefit of their medical treatments.
PMID: 34687986
ISSN: 1532-2688
CID: 5505672
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas: A Novel Association? [Case Report]
PMCID:8692103
PMID: 34284002
ISSN: 1931-3543
CID: 5927692
