Publications by authors named "Aaron Baugh"
Background: Studies suggest that the use of race-specific pulmonary function reference equations may obscure racial inequities in respiratory health. Whether removing race from the interpretation of pulmonary function would influence analyses of HIV and pulmonary function is unknown.
Setting: Pulmonary function measurements from 1,067 men (591 with HIV) in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and 1,661 women (1,175 with HIV) in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) were analyzed.
Article Synopsis
- Sarcoidosis is a complex disease with various outcomes, and this study aims to explore the trends in mortality among U.S. Veterans diagnosed with the condition from 2004 to 2022, focusing on demographics and geographic differences.
- The research used electronic health records to analyze data from 23,745 Veterans, finding that all-cause mortality increased by 4.7% annually and was significantly higher in Black Veterans compared to White Veterans.
- Factors such as older age, male sex, Black race, and living in the Northeast increased mortality risk, while socioeconomic status did not significantly change mortality trends in the subgroup analysis.
Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) support breast cancer growth via immune suppression and non-immunological mechanisms. Although 15% of patients with breast cancer will develop brain metastasis, there is scant understanding of MDSCs' contribution within the breast-to-brain metastatic microenvironment. Utilizing co-culture models mimicking a tumor-neuron-immune microenvironment and patient tissue arrays, we identified serotonergic receptor, HTR2B, on MDSCs to upregulate pNF-κB and suppress T cell proliferation, resulting in enhanced tumor growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe American Thoracic Society recommended a single reference equation for spirometry, but the impact on patients is not known. To estimate the effect of changing to a single reference equation among veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A cross-sectional study was conducted including veterans aged ⩾40 to ⩽89 years with COPD and spirometry results from 21 facilities between 2010 and 2019.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Metastatic disease, a major cause of death in advanced breast cancer, involves tumor cells spreading from their original site to distant organs, highlighting the importance of studying these processes.
- Researchers have developed a new murine breast tumor cell line, NT2.5-LM, that shows a much faster spread of metastases after implantation, making it a valuable tool for understanding cancer progression and treatment.
- The NT2.5-LM cell line displays characteristics of enhanced metastatic potential, responds well to HER2-targeted therapies, and offers advantages over previous models, enabling better exploration of therapeutic strategies and mechanisms of metastasis.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the roles of PD-L1 expression and tumor mutational burden (TMB) in various metastatic sites of breast cancer, focusing on differences in the tumor microenvironment (TME).
- Analysis of 3076 patient biopsies revealed that liver metastases (LvMs) have high TMB but lower PD-L1 expression and adaptive immune cell infiltration compared to primary breast tumors (BrTs).
- The findings suggest that the metastatic site affects immune characteristics and biomarker expression, indicating the need for tailored approaches in immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments based on biopsy locations.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers have developed a new murine (mouse) breast tumor cell line called NT2.5-LM, which models aggressively spreading breast cancer that can spontaneously metastasize to various organs.
- This model shows quick tumor spread within weeks, demonstrating distant metastases in the lungs, bones, spleen, colon, and liver, making it useful for studying how cancer spreads.
- The NT2.5-LM model also reveals changes in cancer cell properties associated with increased metastatic potential, allowing for more effective testing of new cancer treatments targeting widespread metastases.
Rationale: The SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) is a prospective cohort study that enrolled 2981 participants with the goal of identifying new chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subgroups and intermediate markers of disease progression. Individuals with COPD and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience impaired quality of life and more frequent exacerbations. COPD severity also associates with computed tomography scan-based emphysema and alterations in airway dimensions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStrategies to Classify Lung Function: It's Not Black and White.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
January 2024
Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is performed to aid patient selection before surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The interpretation of PFT data relies on normative equations, which vary by race, but the relative strength of association of lung function using race-specific or race-neutral normative equations with postoperative pulmonary complications is unknown. To compare the strength of association of lung function, using race-neutral or race-specific equations, with surgical complications after lobectomy for NSCLC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTruth and Consequences: Choosing the Best Interpretative Framework for Spirometry.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
January 2024
The study and practice of pulmonary medicine have been profoundly influenced by race theory, which was ascendant at the time of key developments within the specialty. We explore how, as a social determinant of health, race remains a powerful driver of present-day health disparities in respiratory diseases. Both legacy and contemporary inequities are identified through Dr DR Williams's model of cultural, structural, and interpersonal racism.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt has been observed widely that, on average, Black individuals in the United States have lower FVC than White individuals, which is thought to reflect a combination of genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors that are difficult to disentangle. Debate therefore persists even after the American Thoracic Society's 2023 guidelines recommending race-neutral pulmonary function test (PFT) result interpretation strategies. Advocates of race-based PFT results interpretation argue that it allows for more precise measurement and will minimize disease misclassification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects the prognosis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Black women with COPD have a disproportionate risk of CVD-related mortality, yet disparities in CVD prevention in COPD are unknown.
Objectives: We aimed to identify race-sex differences in the receipt of statin treatment for CVD prevention, and whether these differences were explained by factors influencing health care utilization in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) COPD study sub-cohort.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to investigate how self-identified race affects sleep quality among heavy smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), focusing on participants from different racial backgrounds.* -
- The research involved analyzing data from 2,427 participants using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure sleep quality, while adjusting for factors like demographics, health status, and socioeconomic variables.* -
- Results indicated that African American participants experienced worse sleep quality compared to non-Hispanic Whites, with factors like income, depression, and sex also influencing sleep quality outcomes.*
Article Synopsis
- The American Thoracic Society (ATS) currently supports using race and ethnicity-specific equations for interpreting pulmonary function tests (PFTs), but there’s growing concern that this approach may reinforce false racial differences and overlook the impact of varying exposures.
- A workshop convened by ATS in 2021 found that using race as a factor in PFT interpretation lacks biological validity and suggested switching to race-neutral average reference equations to better reflect individual health without bias.
- Recommendations included re-evaluating the use of PFTs in clinical and insurance decisions, involving a broader range of stakeholders, and emphasizing ongoing research and education to understand the implications of these changes.
Article Synopsis
- - The study highlights the significance of U.S. veterans in researching sarcoidosis due to their unique environmental exposures, wide geographical distribution, and consistent healthcare access through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) from 2003 to 2019.
- - From over 13 million veterans, 23,747 were diagnosed with sarcoidosis, revealing trends such as increasing annual incidence and prevalence rates during the study period.
- - Key risk factors for developing sarcoidosis identified include being Black, female, a history of tobacco use, living in the Northeast U.S., and service in specific military branches, indicating heightened vulnerability among these groups.
Rationale: Ambient air pollution exposure is associated with respiratory morbidity among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly among those with concomitant obesity. Although people with COPD report high incidence of poor sleep quality, no studies have evaluated the association between air pollution exposure, obesity, and sleep disturbances in COPD.
Methods: We analyzed data collected from current and former smokers with COPD enrolled in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD -Air Pollution ancillary study (SPIROMICS AIR).