Publications by authors named "Fava A"
Background: In obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myectomy improves symptoms, quality of life, and left ventricular (LV) outflow tract gradients. We prospectively evaluated the temporal changes in various echo parameters after myectomy.
Methods And Results: In 173 adults with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (53±10 years, 63% men) who underwent myectomy between March 2017 and June 2020, clinical and blinded echo assessment (before and at 12±6 months follow-up) was performed prospectively (SPIRIT-HCM [Quality of Life and Functional Capacity Following Septal Myectomy in Obstructive Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy]).
Background: Interstitial fibrosis in lupus nephritis (LN) is often infiltrated by immune cells but typically regarded as nonspecific "scar reaction." This study aimed to investigate the relationship between inflammatory fibrosis and kidney disease progression in LN.
Methods: Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) were scored in 124 LN kidney biopsies.
The baseball remains unchanged across age groups. This study investigated how ball size impacts throwing patterns to establish if youth players might benefit from using more appropriately sized balls. Throwing patterns for 79 participants (11 ± 2 years; 1.
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- More than half of youth baseball pitchers experience throwing-related pain, prompting an investigation into the role of elbow flexion during pitching.
- The study assessed 38 pitchers, comparing those with throwing-arm pain to matched pain-free pitchers regarding their elbow flexion throughout a pitch cycle.
- Results showed no significant differences in elbow flexion or peak elbow flexion between the two groups, contradicting previous studies that linked elbow pain to differences in pitching mechanics.
Introduction: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients display weak seroconversion and neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination and remain at risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While B-cell memory is the hallmark of serological immunity, its role in driving successful vaccine responses and providing immune protection in SOT patients remains unclear.
Methods: We investigated the function and interplay of SARS-CoV-2-specific memory B cells (mBc), different cytokineproducing T cells, and cross-reactive NAb in driving seroconversion and protection against COVID-19 in two cohorts.
Background: Endoscopic endonasal posterior clinoidectomy represents an important maneuver to improve access and visualization of the retrosellar and upper clivus area [1]. Three different techniques have been described in order to access and remove the posterior clinoid: 1) the intradural pituitary transposition [2], the interdural pituitary transposition [3] and a completely extradural technique [4].
Case Description: We present here a case of retrosellar and retroclival chordoma that has been removed through endoscopic endonasal approach.
Objectives: To evaluate urinary activated leucocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) and CD6 as predictors of lupus nephritis (LN) progression or disease resolution across a 1-year study.
Methods: Serum and urine samples from biopsy proven LN subjects (n = 122) were prospectively collected over the course of a year at 3- or 6-month intervals (weeks 0, 12, 26, and 52) across multiple study sites and assessed for soluble ALCAM and CD6 levels. Urine creatinine from the same urine sample was used to normalize the levels of urinary ALCAM and urinary CD6.
Aims: The once-daily extended-release tacrolimus formulation (ER-Tac) has demonstrated similar efficacy and safety to the twice-daily immediate-release formulation (IR-Tac), but few population-based pharmacokinetic models have been developed in kidney transplant patients to optimize doses. Therefore, this study aimed i) at developing a population pharmacokinetic model for ER-Tac in adult kidney transplant patients ii) and identifying genetic factors and time-varying covariates predictive of pharmacokinetic variability to guide tacrolimus dosage during the early post-transplant period.
Methods: A total of 1,067 blood tacrolimus concentrations from 138 kidney transplant patients were analyzed.
Article Synopsis
- High-volume pitching can lead to changes in mechanics, fatigue, and injury risk, but little has been studied about the kinetics involved in different pitch types in softball.
- A study involving 19 high school pitchers examined the peak kinetics of their shoulder, elbow, and wrist by having them pitch various types of pitches across multiple innings, simulating a game and doubleheader scenario.
- Results showed significant decreases in joint kinetics from the first inning to the last and during the doubleheader, particularly for elbow and wrist forces, with lower kinetics observed for changeups compared to fastballs and breaking balls, indicating a potential injury risk as the game progresses.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how two pitching techniques, "tall and fall" and "drop and drive," affect pitch velocity and elbow stress in college baseball pitchers.
- It involves 64 collegiate pitchers and utilizes motion capture data to analyze how body movements during pitching influence performance metrics.
- Results show that the "tall and fall" method is associated with increased pitch velocity and specific dynamics of body center of mass displacement, suggesting its potential advantages over "drop and drive."
Association Between 25-hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)
September 2024
Objective: We evaluated the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with adverse pregnancy outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Methods: The Hopkins Lupus Cohort includes visits of pregnant patients, including assessment of 25(OH)D levels at each visit. We examined the relationship between 25(OH)D levels and adverse pregnancy outcomes (miscarriage, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age).
Article Synopsis
- - Diastolic dysfunction is a key factor in causing congestive heart failure in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), where symptoms often appear only during exercise due to normal rest conditions.
- - A study of 590 HCM patients showed that many had abnormal diastolic parameters after exercise, which corresponded to reduced exercise capacity, with only 42% achieving over 85% of expected metabolic equivalents.
- - Several factors, including higher body mass index, use of beta-blockers, and elevated heart pressures, were linked to poorer exercise performance, indicating their importance in managing HCM symptoms.
Article Synopsis
- Hybrid immunity, a combination of past SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, shows strong protection against COVID-19, but its effects on immunocompromised patients like kidney transplant recipients hasn't been fully studied.
- In a study involving 1,114 kidney transplant patients, those with hybrid immunity had significantly lower rates of infection (12.1%) and almost no hospitalizations or deaths, compared to vaccinated-only individuals (36.54% infection rate and some hospitalizations and deaths).
- The findings highlight the importance of hybrid immunity in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection and severe outcomes in vulnerable populations, indicating a need for tailored health strategies for these patients.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) plays an important role for real-time procedural guidance during surgical smyectomy (SM) for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). We aimed to compare (1) interventricular septum (IVS) thickness using 2- (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) intraoperative TEE and preoperative cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and (2) mitral valve (MV) leaflet length using 2D, 3D TEE, automatic quantification of mitral valve (AMVQ) and preoperative CMR. We prospectively studied 50 patients with HOCM (age 59 ± 12 years, 44% men) who underwent SM during 2018 to 2019.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is one of the most prevalent forms of focal epilepsy in surgical series, particularly among adults. Over the decades, different surgical strategies have been developed to address drug-resistant epilepsy while safeguarding neurological and cognitive functions. Among these strategies, anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL), involving the removal of the temporal pole and mesial temporal structures, has emerged as a widely employed technique.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Autoantibodies are a hallmark of lupus nephritis (LN), but their association with LN classes and treatment response are not adequately known. In this study, we quantified circulating autoantibodies in the Accelerating Medicines Partnership LN longitudinal cohort to identify serological biomarkers of LN histologic classification and treatment response and how these biomarkers change over time based on treatment response.
Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 279 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus undergoing diagnostic kidney biopsy based on proteinuria.
This study compared lower extremity, trunk, and upper extremity kinematics between tee and front toss hitting in youth baseball athletes. Twenty youth baseball athletes (14.3±2.
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- Cannabidiol, a compound derived from the Cannabis plant, has promising pharmacological effects, particularly when used topically, and is linked to fewer adverse events compared to other cannabinoids.
- The study conducts a scoping review to analyze the efficacy of topical cannabidiol through in vivo models, guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology and established inclusion criteria.
- Though further research is required to determine optimal dosages, cannabidiol shows potential in treating various health issues, including glaucoma, atopic dermatitis, epidermolysis bullosa, and pyoderma gangrenosum.
Background And Objectives: The combined petrosal intertentorial approach (CPIA) has been proposed as an alternative to standard combined petrosal approach (SCPA). CPIA has been designed to maintain integrity of the temporal dura with a view to reduce temporal lobe morbidity and venous complications. This study has been designed to perform a quantitative comparison between these approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Having a low complement level is associated with clinical systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and future organ damage. We studied the association of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) whole blood levels with changes in complement level.
Methods: We performed two analyses on data prospectively collected from an SLE cohort.
Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a frequent complication after kidney transplantation (KT). This systematic review investigated the effect of different immunosuppressive regimens on the risk of PTDM. We performed a systematic literature search in MEDLINE and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included KT recipients with any immunosuppression and reported PTDM outcomes up to 1 October 2023.
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