Publications by authors named "Karin F Hoth"

Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to determine if additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine correlate with fewer COVID-19-like symptoms six weeks after infection among health care workers.
  • A total of 2478 participants were enrolled, with 57% confirmed cases of COVID-19; symptoms like fatigue and sleep difficulties were common, especially in those infected.
  • Results indicated that those who received extra vaccine doses after their primary series experienced significantly lower odds of symptoms at six weeks post-infection compared to those who did not get boosted.
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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. Curcumin is a polyphenol that improves vascular and cognitive function in older adults; however, its effects on vascular and cognitive function in patients with CKD are unknown. We hypothesized that curcumin supplementation would improve vascular and cognitive function in patients with CKD.

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Depression is heritable, differs by sex, and has environmental risk factors such as cigarette smoking. However, the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on depression through cigarette smoking and the role of sex is unclear. In order to examine the association of SNPs with depression and smoking in the UK Biobank with replication in the COPDGene study, we used counterfactual-based mediation analysis to test the indirect or mediated effect of SNPs on broad depression through the log of pack-years of cigarette smoking, adjusting for age, sex, current smoking status, and genetic ancestry (via principal components).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare personnel's mental health and explored available support programs in academic emergency departments across the U.S.
  • A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,541 ED staff, revealing that while support programs were widely available (>95%), their actual usage varied, with clinical work support programs being utilized more than individual support programs.
  • A significant portion of respondents (57%) reported heightened stress and anxiety due to the pandemic, and 12% were at an increased risk of PTSD, indicating a need for better engagement with the available support resources.
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Background: Cognitive impairment is a common multiple sclerosis (MS)-related symptom that impacts quality of life (QOL). Diet interventions are shown to be beneficial in managing QOL, and the intake of essential fatty acids is linked with improved cognitive function. However, the effect of diets on serum fatty acid profiles and cognitive function is unknown.

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Background: Interventions involving diet, physical activity, and breathing exercises are shown to be beneficial in managing both fatigue and quality of life (QoL) related to MS; however, the impact of such interventions among people newly diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who decline disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) is unknown.

Methods: A 12-month prospective quasi-experimental non-inferiority trial recruited people newly diagnosed with CIS or RRMS who voluntarily declined DMTs (health behavior group; HB, n = 29) or followed standard of care (SOC, n = 15). Participants in the HB group were remotely coached on the study diet, moderate-intensity walking, and breathing exercises.

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Article Synopsis
  • COVID-19 vaccinations are effective at reducing complications, but many people, especially health care personnel (HCP), are hesitant to get the bivalent booster.
  • A study of 1,656 HCP showed that concerns about contracting the virus, spreading it to family, and infecting colleagues significantly influenced their decision to get boosted.
  • Those who did receive the booster were more likely to report relying on scientific literature and employer recommendations in their decision-making process.
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Hippocampal atrophy is a prominent neurodegenerative feature of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Alterations in circadian rhythms can exacerbate cognitive aging and neurodegeneration. This study aimed to examine how dim light melatonin onset and melatonin levels are associated with hippocampal volume in cognitively healthy individuals.

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Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) often report dietary modifications; however, evidence on functional outcomes remains sparse.

Objective: Evaluate the impact of the low-saturated fat (Swank) and modified Paleolithic elimination (Wahls) diets on functional disability among people with relapsing-remitting MS.

Methods: Baseline-referenced MS functional composite (MSFC) scores were calculated from nine-hole peg-test (NHPT), timed 25-foot walk, and oral symbol digit modalities test (SDMT-O) collected at four study visits: (a) run-in, (b) baseline, (c) 12 weeks, and (d) 24 weeks.

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Background: Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric comorbidities among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Emerging data suggest abnormal serum homocysteine, vitamin B, and folate levels in people with MS, which are related to a range of neurological disorders, including mood and mental illnesses. Evidence suggests that dietary interventions could affect mood disorders via several pathways.

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Background: COPD diagnosis is tightly linked to the fixed-ratio spirometry criteria of FEV/FVC < 0.7. African-Americans are less often diagnosed with COPD.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Depression is the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting nearly 40 million adults, with a higher prevalence in women compared to men.
  • - The relationship between genetics and depression is complex, particularly regarding how sex influences genetic factors linked to the condition.
  • - Understanding these sex-specific genetic differences could enhance our knowledge of depression's causes and help develop better treatments.
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Article Synopsis
  • COVID-19 vaccines provide protection against infection and severe disease, but their effect on prolonged symptoms post-infection among healthcare personnel is not well understood.
  • A study analyzed 681 healthcare workers who had COVID-19 to compare symptoms and return-to-work times between those who were vaccinated and those who weren't.
  • Results showed that vaccinated healthcare workers experienced fewer COVID-like symptoms (60.6% vs 79.1%) and returned to work 2 days earlier than unvaccinated workers.
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Article Synopsis
  • Recent studies indicate a significant number of people have undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which could lead to complications and missed treatment opportunities.
  • The research analyzed data from smokers with at least 10 pack-years of history, excluding those already diagnosed with COPD or related conditions, and identified various risk factors related to abnormal spirometry results.
  • The findings revealed that 21% of participants had undiagnosed airflow obstruction, with factors like age, smoking history, and certain health conditions being key indicators, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and treatment.
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Post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (PASC) is a complex condition with multisystem involvement. We assessed patients' experience with a PASC clinic established at University of Iowa in June 2020. A survey was electronically mailed in June 2021 asking about (1) symptoms and their impact on functional domains using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures (Global Health and Cognitive Function Abilities) (2) satisfaction with clinic services, referrals, barriers to care, and recommended support resources.

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The 2021 purchase of the respiratory pharmaceutical company Vectura by Phillip Morris International has been criticised by the public health and medical community, as a conflict of interest, with little input to date, from the patient community or the public. To address this gap, the COPD Foundation, along with global partners, surveyed 1196 people with chronic respiratory disease. 70% were bothered by a tobacco company making an inhaler to treat lung conditions and 48% reported that they would want to switch inhalers if they knew that a tobacco company made or sold their inhaler devices.

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Rationale: Subjective cognitive difficulties are common among sarcoidosis patients; however, previous studies have not modeled the link between cognitive difficulties and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Objectives: To determine whether cognitive difficulties are associated with HRQOL in sarcoidosis patients after adjusting for demographics, fatigue, and physical disease severity measures.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the Genomic Research in Alpha-1 antitrypsin Deficiency and Sarcoidosis (GRADS) study data.

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Background: Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often develop anxiety and depression, which worsen illness management and prognosis. Physical and psychological symptoms, contextual and illness-related factors display complex reciprocal interactions, which give rise to heterogeneous presentations. Examining the patterns of association between specific physical and psychological symptoms in patients with COPD may help to focus on the precision of the patient-centred care.

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Background: Optimism is the general belief that good things will occur in the future; optimism is modifiable by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Previous studies have associated higher optimism with improved health outcomes and lower all-cause mortality.

Research Question: Investigate association between optimism and disease-related characteristics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

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Rationale: Depression is a prevalent comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that, along with COPD, has been associated with inflammation. An association between inflammation and depression in COPD has not been validated in a large COPD cohort.

Methods: Individuals from the University of Pittsburgh SCCOR cohort and the COPDGene cohort with tobacco use history and airway obstruction (FEV/FVC <0.

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Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a high prevalence of depression, which is associated with increased COPD hospitalizations and readmissions. Examine the impact of depressive symptoms compared with FEV% on COPD morbidity. Using longitudinal data from individuals with COPD in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study, longitudinal growth analysis was performed to assess COPD morbidity by assessing differences in baseline 6-minute walk distance and patient reported outcomes (PROs) and their rate of change over time explained by depressive symptoms or lung function, as measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale or FEV% respectively.

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