Congratulations are in Order
If you would like to feature the recent accomplishment of someone in your department, please send an email to crtimes@bu.edu.
• Manju L. Subramanian
et al
• Lauren A. Wise et
al
• William G. Fernandez,
MD, MPH et al
• Howard L. Lazar
et al
• Barry Zuckerman,
MD
Congratulations
to Manju L. Subramanian (Veterans Affairs, Jamaica Plain; BMC
Ophthalmology) and colleagues for their recent article in the
American Journal of Ophthalmology, “Bevacizumab
vs Ranibizumab for Age-related Macular Degeneration: Early Results of
a Prospective Double-Masked, Randomized Clinical Trial”. The
authors sought to report early outcomes of a prospective, double-masked,
controlled trial comparing bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech Inc, South
San Francisco, California, USA) to ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech Inc)
for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Patients were given
either bevacizumab or ranibizumab every month for the first 3 months,
followed by optical coherence tomography-guided, variable-dosing schedule.
Main outcomes measured were visual acuity (VA) and foveal thickness. Twenty
patients completed the 6-month follow up. Thirteen patients received bevacizumab
and 7 patients received ranibizumab. Early results of a head-to-head randomized,
double-masked, prospective, single-center controlled trial between bevacizumab
and ranibizumab show no difference in efficacy between the two treatments
for choroidal neovascularizaton in the treatment of age-related macular
degeneration. As this study conveys results of a small number of patients,
further studies with larger sample sizes are needed in order to establish
statistical significance.
Subramanian
ML, Ness S, Abedi G, Ahmed E, Daly M, Feinberg E, Bhatia S, Patel P, Nguyen
M, Houranieh A. Bevacizumab vs Ranibizumab for Age-related Macular Degeneration:
Early Results of a Prospective Double-Masked, Randomized Clinical Trial.
Am J Ophthalmol. 2009 Oct 2.
Congratulations
to Lauren A. Wise (BUSPH, Epidemiology) and colleagues
for their recent article in Human Reproduction,
“An internet-based prospective study of body size and time-to-pregnancy”.
Recent studies have shown that both female and male obesity may delay
time-to-pregnancy (TTP). The authors examined the association between
anthropometric factors and TTP among 1651 Danish women participating in
an internet-based prospective cohort study of pregnancy planners (2007-2008).
We categorized body mass index (BMI = kg/m (2)) as underweight (<20),
normal weight (20-24), overweight (25-29), obese (30-34) and very obese
(>/=35). The authors found longer TTPs for overweight, obese, and very
obese women, compared with normal weight women. Male BMI was not materially
associated with TTP after control for female BMI. Compared with women
who maintained a stable weight since age 17 (-5 to 4 kg), women who gained
>/=15 kg had longer TTPs after adjustment for BMI at age 17. Associations
of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio with TTP depended on adjustment
for female BMI: null associations were observed before adjustment for
BMI and weakly positive associations were observed after adjustment for
BMI. The results confirm previous studies showing reduced fertility in
overweight and obese women.
Wise
LA, Rothman KJ, Mikkelsen EM, Sørensen HT, Riis A, Hatch EE. Hum
Reprod. 2009 Oct 14.
Congratulations
to William G. Fernandez (BMC, Emergency Medicine) and colleagues
for their recent article in Academy Emergency Medicine: the
Official Publication of the Academy of Emergency Medicine,
“Six-month Follow-up of a Brief Intervention on Self-reported
Safety Belt Use Among Emergency Department Patients”. Based
on previous research that seat-belt use (SBU) improved after 3-months
of a brief intervention, the authors sought to determine if these effects
were sustained at 6 months post-enrollment. The study was a prospective,
randomized controlled trial of adult patients (age >/= 21 years) at
an academic medical center ED from February 2006 to May 2006. Patients
were systematically sampled for self-reported SBU. Those with self-reported
SBU less than "always" were asked to participate. Subjects were
surveyed at baseline with a nine-item series of situational SBU questions
scored on a five-point Likert scale (e.g., 5 = always, 1 = never). This
nine-item average comprised the mean SBU score. Subjects were randomized
to a control group (CG; received an injury prevention brochure) and an
intervention group (IG; received a brief motivation interview by a trained
interventionist and the brochure). Subjects were phoned at 3 and 6 months
to determine interval change in SBU scores via a standard script. 292
subjects enrolled with 66% (n = 96 in each) completing both 3- and 6-month
follow-up. The mean SBU score at 6 months in the IG was greater than in
the CG group (3.6 vs. 2.9). These differences were sustained from the
3-month interval. The previously reported finding that ED patients who
received a brief motivation interview reported higher SBU scores at 3
months compared to a CG was sustained at 6-month follow-up. Although limited
by self-report, a brief intervention may enhance lasting SBU behavior
among high-risk ED patients.
Fernandez
WG, Winter MR, Mitchell PM, Bullock H, Donovan J, George JS, Feldman JA,
Gallagher SS, McKay MP, Bernstein E, Colton T. Acad Emerg Med. 2009 Oct
8 [Abstract only].
Congratulations
to Howard L. Lazar (BMC, Cardiothoracic Surgery; Director: Center
for Thoracic Oncology) and colleagues for their recent article
in the Journal of Cardiac Surgery, “Expression
of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Conduits Used in Patients with Diabetes
Mellitus Undergoing Coronary Revascularization”. Expression
of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a marker of vascular inflammation
which can result in thrombosis and atherosclerosis. This study was undertaken
to examine the difference in iNOS expression in the internal mammary artery
(IMA) and saphenous veins (SVs) of patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing
coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using both qualitative and
quantitative methodology. Segments of IMA and SV harvested in 100 diabetic
patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing CABG surgery were fixed in
formalin and immunostained to detect the presence of iNOS. Linear regression
analyses were performed to assess the association of the degree of iNOS
expression in both the IMA and SV with the type of diabetes control (insulin,
oral, diet), and the serum levels of HbAlc, glucose, free fatty acids
(ffa), C-reactive protein (CRP), and low-density liproprotein (LDL) at
the time of conduit harvest. The degree of iNOS expression was significantly
lower in the IMA compared to the SV by both qualitative and quantitative
methods. There was no correlation between iNOS expression in either the
IMA or SV and the type of diabetes control, or levels of HA1c, glucose,
ffa, and CRP. However, there was a significant correlation between LDL
and iNOS expression in the SV graft, but not the IMA. The degree of iNOS
expression is unrelated to the level of glycemic control at the time of
conduit harvest, but was found to be associated with serum LDL levels
in the SV, but not in the IMA grafts.
Lazar
HL, Joseph L, San Mateo C, Frame J, Cabral HJ, McDonnell M, Chipkin S.
J Card Surg. 2009 Oct 7 [Abstract only].
Congratulations
to Barry Zuckerman, MD (Chairman and Chief, Department of pediatrics,
BUSM and BMC) for being selected to receive the New
England Healthcare Institute’s 2009 Innovator in Healthcare Reform
Award. Dr. Zuckerman, long known for his efforts to improve
the health of underserved children by improving their social and living
conditions, received the award for three of the programs he helped develop:
Reach Out and Read, Medical-Legal Partnership for Children, and Project
Health.
Congratulations to each of you for your accomplishments!