Publications by authors named "Hansel N"

Background: The impact of iron deficiency on COPD morbidity independent of anemia status is unknown. Understanding the association between iron deficiency, anemia status, and risk of hospitalization in COPD may inform an approach to these comorbidities.

Study Design And Methods: Adults ≥40 years from the Johns Hopkins COPD Precision Medicine Center of Excellence data repository with an outpatient iron profile and 1 year of subsequent follow-up time were included in the study.

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Obesity is a risk factor for asthma morbidity, associated with less responsiveness to inhaled corticosteroids. CD4+ T-cells are central to the immunology of asthma and may contribute to the unique obese asthma phenotype. We sought to characterize the single cell CD4+ Transcriptional profile differences in obese children with asthma compared to normal weight children with asthma.

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Purpose To assess the repeatability of real-time cine pulmonary MRI measures of metronome-paced tachypnea (MPT)-induced dynamic hyperinflation and its relationship with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity. Materials and Methods SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures In COPD Study (SPIROMICS) (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier no.

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Background: Anemia is a prevalent comorbidity in COPD associated with increased morbidity. However, the significance of longitudinal anemia status and variation in anemia status trends over time in COPD are not known. Furthermore, individuals with COPD and smoking history often have multiple comorbidities, in particular cardiovascular disease.

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Among tobacco-exposed persons with preserved spirometry (TEPS), we previously demonstrated that different lung volume indices, specifically elevated total lung capacity (TLC) versus elevated ratio of functional residual capacity-to-TLC (FRC/TLC), identify different lung disease characteristics in the COPDGene cohort. Determine differential disease characteristics and trajectories associated with the lung volume indices among TEPS in the SPIROMICS cohort. We categorized TEPS (n=814) by tertiles (low, intermediate, high) of TLC or residual volume-to-TLC (RV/TLC) derived from baseline CT images, and then examined clinical and spirometric disease trajectories in mutually exclusive categories of participants with high TLC without high RV/TLC ([TLC]) versus high RV/TLC without high TLC ([RV/TLC]).

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  • Serum IgG deficiency is linked to increased risks of exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the impact of lower normal range levels is uncertain.
  • A study involving 1,497 smokers analyzed the relationship between serum IgG levels and COPD exacerbations, finding that levels below the 35th percentile (1225 mg/dL) heightened exacerbation risk.
  • Specifically, low levels of IgG1 and IgG2 subclasses were significantly correlated with severe exacerbations, indicating that even mild impairments in IgG can affect disease severity in at-risk individuals.
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Rationale: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), accurately estimating lung function from electronic health record (EHR) data would be beneficial but requires addressing complexities in clinically obtained testing. This study compared analytic methods for estimating rate of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV) change from EHR data.

Methods: We estimated rate of FEV change in patients with COPD from a single centre who had ≥3 outpatient tests spanning at least 1 year.

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  • Researchers are investigating how artificial intelligence (AI) can help measure functional small airways disease (fSAD) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using just one CT scan instead of the two traditionally required.
  • They studied over 2,500 participants and found strong correlations between the new AI method and existing measures of lung function, confirming its effectiveness.
  • The new AI technique for estimating fSAD proved to be more reliable and repeatable compared to standard methods, suggesting it could enhance clinical assessments of COPD.
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  • The SPIROMICS Study of Early COPD Progression (SOURCE) aims to investigate the biological reasons behind early-stage COPD in younger individuals who smoke, addressing a gap in current medical knowledge that hinders treatment development.
  • The study plans to enroll 649 participants aged 30-55 with a history of smoking, alongside 40 never-smoker controls, to collect comprehensive health data and analyze potential mechanisms of disease progression.
  • SOURCE seeks to use advanced imaging and biospecimen collection methods over three years to enhance understanding of COPD and contribute to better prevention and treatment strategies.
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Background: Valid, high-resolution estimates of population-level exposure to air pollutants are necessary for accurate estimation of the association between air pollution and the occurrence or exacerbation of adverse health outcomes such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Objectives: We produced fine-scale individual-level estimates of ambient concentrations of multiple air pollutants (fine particulate matter [PM], NO, NO, and O) at residences of participants in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Air Pollution (SPIROMICS Air) study, located in seven regions in the US. For PM, we additionally integrated modeled estimates of particulate infiltration based on home characteristics and measured total indoor concentrations to provide comprehensive estimates of exposure levels.

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  • Emerging research indicates that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in personal care products can negatively impact health, particularly for Black individuals who use more products and have high asthma rates.
  • This study investigates the link between EDC exposure and product usage in 110 Black children with asthma, aged 8-17, in Baltimore City, examining their recent consumer habits and urine concentrations of specific EDCs.
  • Results show that using air fresheners, scented candles, and canned foods is associated with higher levels of certain EDCs, highlighting a potential risk factor for these children’s health.
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  • Asthma shows significant differences in prevalence and characteristics among various ancestral groups, yet the reasons for these disparities are not well understood.
  • The Consortium on Asthma among African-ancestry Populations in the Americas (CAAPA) is analyzing genetic information from individuals of African ancestry to identify specific genes related to asthma.
  • In their findings, they discovered 389 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with key networks linked to immune response and wound healing, revealing three main areas of dysregulation important for understanding asthma within these populations.
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in the bloodstream causes high morbidity and mortality, exacerbated by the spread of multidrug-resistant and methicillin-resistant (MRSA). We aimed to characterize the circulating lineages of from bloodstream infections and the contribution of individual lineages to resistance over time. Here, we generated 852 high-quality short-read draft genome sequences of isolates from patient blood cultures in a single hospital from 2010 to 2022.

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As rehabilitation advances into the era of digital health, remote monitoring of physical activity via wearable devices has the potential to change how we provide care. However, uncertainties about patient adherence and the significant resource requirements needed create challenges to adoption of remote monitoring into clinical care. Here we aim to determine the impact of a novel digital application to overcome these barriers.

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Introduction: In the USA, minoritised communities (racial and ethnic) have suffered disproportionately from COVID-19 compared with non-Hispanic white communities. In a large cohort of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in a healthcare system spanning five adult hospitals, we analysed outcomes of patients based on race and ethnicity.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients 18 years or older admitted to five hospitals in the mid-Atlantic area between 4 March 2020 and 27 May 2022 with confirmed COVID-19.

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Background: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been associated with systemic anti-inflammatory responses. Dietary intake of omega-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has also been associated with lower chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) morbidity using self-report food frequency questionnaires.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between measured PUFA intake using plasma EPA+DHA levels and COPD morbidity.

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Background: Provider adherence to clinical treatment guidelines in COPD is low. However, for patients to receive guideline-aligned care, providers not only must prescribe guideline-aligned care, but also must communicate that regimen successfully to patients to ensure medication concordance. The rate of medication concordance between patients and providers and its impact on clinical management is unknown in COPD.

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It is unknown whether air pollution is associated with radiographic features of interstitial lung disease in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To determine whether air pollution increases the prevalence of interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) or percent high-attenuation areas (HAA) on computed tomography (CT) in individuals with a heavy smoking history and COPD. We performed a cross-sectional study of SPIROMICS (Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study), focused on current or former smokers with COPD.

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Background: Recent guidelines for spirometry interpretation recommend both race-neutral reference equations and use of z score thresholds to define severity of airflow obstruction.

Research Question: How does the transition from race-specific to race-neutral equations impact severity classifications for patients with COPD when using % predicted vs z score thresholds, and do changes in severity correspond to clinical risk?

Study Design And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included Black and White patients with COPD and available spirometry from the Johns Hopkins Health System. Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) 2012 (race-specific) equations and GLI Global (race-neutral) equations were used to determine FEV % predicted and z score values.

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Rates of emphysema progression vary in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the relationships with vascular and airway pathophysiology remain unclear. We sought to determine if indices of peripheral (segmental and beyond) pulmonary arterial dilation measured on computed tomography (CT) are associated with a 1-year index of emphysema (EI; percentage of voxels <-950 Hounsfield units) progression. Five hundred ninety-nine former and never-smokers (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages 0-3) were evaluated from the SPIROMICS (Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study) cohort: rapid emphysema progressors (RPs;  = 188, 1-year ΔEI > 1%), nonprogressors ( = 301, 1-year ΔEI ± 0.

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Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have airflow obstruction and maldistribution of ventilation. For those living at high altitude, any gas exchange abnormality is compounded by reduced partial pressures of inspired oxygen. Does residence at higher altitude exposure affect COPD outcomes, including lung function, imaging characteristics, symptoms, health status, functional exercise capacity, exacerbations, and mortality? From the SPIROMICS (Subpopulation and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study) cohort, we identified individuals with COPD living below 1,000 ft (305 m) elevation ( = 1,367) versus above 4,000 ft (1,219 m) elevation ( = 288).

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