Publications by authors named "Elissa Driggin"
Article Synopsis
- Preoperative assessment of pectoralis muscle area, which estimates sarcopenia, is linked to increased risks in LVAD patients, including higher postoperative mortality and gastrointestinal bleeding.
- A study involving 254 LVAD patients found that those with low pectoralis muscle area (low-PMI cohort) exhibited significantly elevated inflammation and endotoxemia markers compared to others.
- Patients with low pectoralis muscle area experienced longer hospital stays and a greater likelihood of readmissions within 90 days and one year after surgery.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the effects of glucagon-like-peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RA) on heart transplant recipients dealing with diabetes and obesity, as there has been limited research in this area.
- A total of 74 patients were analyzed, with significant improvements in cardiometabolic parameters such as reduced BMI, lower blood sugar levels (HbA1C), and decreased LDL cholesterol after using GLP1-RA for around 383 days.
- Results indicated that GLP1-RA therapy was effective in managing diabetes and weight in these patients, with minimal impact on their immunosuppression medication adjustments.
Article Synopsis
- Sarcopenia, or muscle loss, is often overlooked in patients with advanced heart failure, especially those undergoing heart transplants, but it significantly impacts postoperative outcomes.
- This study found that patients with preoperative sarcopenia had fewer days alive and out of the hospital in the year following heart transplant, with a median difference of 17 days compared to those without sarcopenia.
- The research highlights that diagnosing sarcopenia using pectoralis muscle-area index from CT scans could provide valuable insights for transplant evaluations and predict poorer outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- Malnutrition affects heart failure patients with severe secondary mitral regurgitation, with 17% of the study participants classified as malnourished, leading to a higher 4-year mortality rate.
- The study analyzed patients who underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) with MitraClip alongside guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) versus GDMT alone.
- Findings revealed that malnutrition was linked to increased mortality over four years, while TEER significantly lowered both mortality and heart failure hospitalizations, regardless of malnutrition status.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between modified body mass index (mBMI) and outcomes following treatment for pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients categorized as intermediate or high risk.
- Results showed that lower mBMI is associated with higher rates of in-hospital mortality and bleeding, indicating its potential as a frailty indicator.
- The findings suggest that addressing low mBMI may be crucial for improving clinical outcomes in PE patients, highlighting the need for further research in this area.
Article Synopsis
- Significant weight loss (≥10%) before a heart transplant is linked to lower 1-year survival rates post-surgery, with a study showing survival rates at 86.9% for those who lost weight compared to 91.0% for those who didn't.
- The study analyzed data from nearly 6,000 adult heart transplant recipients, confirming that preoperative weight loss serves as an independent mortality predictor even when accounting for other health factors like hospitalization status and obesity.
- The findings suggest that implementing nutritional interventions prior to transplant could help improve survival outcomes for patients experiencing significant weight loss.
Article Synopsis
- - A woman experienced upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to gastric varices, which required treatment involving endoscopic cyanoacrylate glue and coil embolization.
- - During the procedure, she developed regular, wide-complex tachycardia, indicating a potential complication.
- - Further investigation showed that the glue and coil had migrated into her cardiopulmonary system, complicating her condition.
Article Synopsis
- Nutrition disorders are common in heart failure (HF) patients, but major guidelines often lack targeted recommendations due to inconsistent definitions and assessment tools.
- Various dietary interventions have been explored, yet the conflicting evidence makes it hard to identify the most effective strategies for these patients.
- The document reviews nutritional assessment tools, evaluates current evidence on dietary interventions, and discusses the challenges of implementing comprehensive nutrition plans for patients with HF, offering potential solutions.
Article Synopsis
- Patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are more vulnerable to severe effects from COVID-19, which can lead to complications like arrhythmias and heart injuries.
- The immune system's dysfunction and inflammation tied to CVD may worsen the impacts of COVID-19.
- While vitamin D is thought to support immune health and reduce inflammation, studies have shown little benefit in COVID-19 treatment, and its specific effect on CVD-related complications from the virus remains unclear.
Article Synopsis
- * This paper introduces a wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) that captures physical causes of AS through seismo-cardiogram (SCG) and gyro-cardiogram (GCG) data, utilizing optimized algorithms and machine learning for diagnosis.
- * The proposed framework shows a detection accuracy of 95.49-100.00% for AS and 92.29% for determining AS severity, making it a reliable and cost-effective solution for cardiac monitoring using only inertial sensors.
Mean Pressure Gradient Prediction Based on Chest Angular Movements and Heart Rate Variability Parameters.
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc
November 2021
Article Synopsis
- The study explores classifying the severity of aortic stenosis (AS) using low-cost wearable sensors that analyze angular chest movements instead of expensive ultrasound echocardiography.
- It utilizes machine learning techniques, particularly the Light Gradient-Boosted Machine, to achieve high accuracy (94.44%) in classifying AS severity into mild, moderate, and severe cases.
- Key findings indicate that isovolumetric contraction time and isovolumetric relaxation time are crucial features for determining AS severity, suggesting this method could serve as a viable, affordable alternative for clinical assessments.
Article Synopsis
- - The study explored how modified body mass index (mBMI), which combines BMI and serum albumin levels, relates to survival rates after transcatheter (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve implantation (SAVI) in patients with severe aortic stenosis.
- - Researchers analyzed data from 6,593 patients and found that lower mBMI was linked to higher one-year mortality, with the lowest mBMI quartile being particularly predictive of poor outcomes.
- - The findings suggest that mBMI is a useful and easy-to-measure alternative to clinical frailty assessments, potentially aiding in the evaluation of patients' frailty before undergoing valve procedures.
Article Synopsis
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent in patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), and there's no clear best way to prevent strokes in these patients.
- A study compared outcomes for patients with ATTR-CA and AF who were treated with warfarin versus those treated with novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), analyzing data from 290 patients.
- Results showed that while patients with AF had a higher risk of thrombotic events, there was no significant difference in stroke, major bleeding, or death between those taking warfarin and those on NOACs during a follow-up period.
Article Synopsis
- The EVADE CAD trial compared effects of a vegan diet versus an AHA-recommended diet on health markers in CAD patients over eight weeks.
- Findings showed that lower body mass index, active tobacco use, and more severe CAD were linked to lower participation in the dietary study, highlighting factors that could affect engagement in dietary interventions.
Article Synopsis
- COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and there's growing concern about thrombotic events (blood clots) contributing to serious health issues in infected patients.
- The Global COVID-19 Thrombosis Collaborative Group discusses novel dosing strategies for common antithrombotic medications, particularly heparin, and explores the potential of other less common drugs for preventing COVID-19-related blood clots.
- The article emphasizes the need for further research, including clinical trials, to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of various treatments, and considers the role of immunomodulators with potential antithrombotic benefits.
Article Synopsis
- * Patients with existing thrombotic issues may face challenges when they contract COVID-19, affecting how their blood-thinning treatments are managed.
- * The authors discuss the importance of using technology to help treat not only COVID-19 patients but also those with thrombotic diseases during the pandemic.
Article Synopsis
- COVID-19 significantly impacts cardiovascular health, with patients who have pre-existing heart conditions facing a higher risk of severe illness and death.
- The disease can lead to various cardiovascular complications such as heart injury, inflammation, irregular heartbeats, and blood clots.
- Ongoing treatments for COVID-19 may cause cardiovascular side effects, and the focus on these patients can hinder timely care for those with other heart issues, putting healthcare workers at risk of virus transmission.
Article Synopsis
- * A study analyzed survival differences among 300 patients based on nutritional status (using modified BMI) and inflammatory status (measured by serum uric acid) to see how they impacted mortality rates.
- * Results indicated that lower modified BMI and higher serum uric acid levels were both associated with shorter survival times, with those having both low BMI and high uric acid having the worst outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- Wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt) is now acknowledged as a significant cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), particularly in older adults.
- This condition presents unique epidemiological and clinical features that can aid in its diagnosis, as well as unique pathophysiology compared to other HFpEF causes.
- Advances in imaging techniques, especially nuclear scintigraphy, have reduced the need for biopsies, and ongoing research into new treatments is promising for managing ATTRwt cardiac amyloidosis in older patients.
Parent feeding behavior and child appetite: associations depend on feeding style.
Int J Eat Disord
November 2014
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore how different parental feeding behaviors influence preschoolers' eating traits and weight trajectories.
- Researchers surveyed 439 parents of UK children aged 3-5 on various styles of feeding, including authoritarian and authoritative methods, and measured children’s food responsiveness and BMI.
- Results indicated that specific parental feeding styles, like Restriction and Pressuring, were strongly linked to children's eating traits, with implications for understanding how these behaviors may affect the development of eating issues in kids.