Publications by authors named "Kathleen Hickey"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how autophagy, a process for recycling cellular components, may have been inadvertently favored in wheat breeding for better yield in dry environments.
- Researchers tested this by examining responses of wheat strains to heat and drought, focusing on three key proteins associated with autophagy: ATG7, ATG8, and NBR1.
- Results showed that certain wheat genotypes displayed increased autophagic activity and better yields, while others showed less autophagy, highlighting that different stress-resilient mechanisms may also play a role in crop performance.
Article Synopsis
- Teclistamab is a bispecific antibody approved for treating patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have already undergone specific treatments, including an immunomodulatory agent and a proteasome inhibitor.
- The MajesTEC-1 study examined the pharmacokinetics of teclistamab given both intravenously and subcutaneously, analyzing how different dosages and delivery methods affect patient outcomes such as response rate and survival.
- Results from analyzing over 4,800 serum samples revealed that teclistamab’s elimination from the body decreases significantly over time, with indications that stopping treatment leads to a rapid drop in drug concentration within weeks.
Article Synopsis
- - Organelles play crucial roles in cellular metabolism and structure, while their life cycles encompass stages like formation, maturation, and decay, leading to biochemical diversity even among similar-looking organelles.
- - The "organellome" refers to the total collection of organelles in a biological system at a specific time, whose balance is maintained through complex interactions and influenced by energy needs and environmental factors.
- - The study of organellomics focuses on understanding the structural diversity and abundance of organelles, which is key for exploring plant adaptability and responses to environmental changes, thus adding a crucial time dimension to existing biological research.
Article Synopsis
- - The study evaluated the AF-HEART intervention, which uses mobile and telehealth technologies, to enhance patient management of atrial fibrillation (AF) through remote tracking and professional guidance on lifestyle factors.
- - Over 6 months, 20 patients demonstrated significant outcomes, including a median of 181 heart rhythm recordings, an average weight loss of 3.5 kilograms, and improved quality-of-life scores.
- - The findings suggest the AF-HEART intervention is feasible for continuous monitoring and improving patient outcomes, indicating potential for a larger randomized trial.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to use mHealth technology to identify different engagement patterns among individuals with atrial fibrillation over a 6-month period.
- Researchers analyzed mHealth data, surveys, and clinical records from 128 participants to uncover four distinct engagement phenotypes: "High-High," "Moderate-Moderate," "High-Low," and "Moderate-Low."
- The findings indicate that understanding these engagement phenotypes can help tailor interventions and improve patient engagement in health technology, emphasizing their significance in digital phenotyping research.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how digital health tools, specifically the Alivecor® KardiaMobile ECG monitor, can help patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) self-manage their condition and identifies factors that encourage continuous usage.
- Researchers analyzed data from 105 adults with AF to determine how often they used the monitor, categorizing usage into infrequent, moderate, and frequent.
- Findings showed that frequent use was linked to experiencing premature atrial contractions (PACs), a lower symptom burden, and fewer concerns about treatment, suggesting these factors should be considered in future digital health research for AF management.
Article Synopsis
- Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often experience high levels of depressive symptoms (17.2%) and anxiety, which can impact the success of treatments like cardioversion and ablation.
- The study assesses how these mental health issues affect quality of life during the procedures and whether they have any relation to AF recurrence within six months.
- Results indicate that symptoms of depression and anxiety are prevalent among AF patients, and suggest that healthcare providers should routinely check for these issues and offer appropriate support during treatment.
A Nurse-led Approach to Improving Cardiac Lifestyle Modification in an Atrial Fibrillation Population.
J Innov Card Rhythm Manag
September 2019
Article Synopsis
- * The ACTION study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a mobile health intervention to enhance cardiac health management through nurse-led support, encouraging patients to set and track personal cardiac health goals.
- * In a six-month pilot with 53 participants, mostly overweight and with common health issues, the program was well-received, with nearly all (98%) appreciating regular support from a dedicated nurse through an online platform.
Article Synopsis
- * It leverages big data, including genetic and health information, to improve disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention tailored to each patient.
- * The implementation of precision health requires nurses to take a leading role through collaboration, community outreach, and care coordination, yet many nurses lack adequate knowledge about its applications and implications.
Article Synopsis
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is linked to high recurrence rates and poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and there are limited interventions currently available to help improve HRQOL for patients.
- This study tested the iHEART intervention, which includes smartphone ECG monitoring and motivational texts, against usual care for patients with AF over 6 months to see its effect on HRQOL.
- Results showed both groups experienced improvements in AF-specific HRQOL, but there were no significant differences between the two groups; further research is recommended to explore long-term impacts and accommodate various AF patient needs.
Article Synopsis
- * Out of 195 analyzed LVAD patients, 47% experienced significant VAs prior to the device implant, with 41% showing recurrent VAs post-implant during an average follow-up of 17 months.
- * The presence of pre-LVAD AF significantly increased the risk of recurrent VAs (hazard ratio of 3.73), which were also linked to a higher mortality rate (hazard ratio of
Article Synopsis
- * Key themes from a 2018 conference highlighted the need for user-centered design in technology aimed at enhancing health outcomes and outlined five necessary steps for developing and implementing these technologies.
- * The proposed roadmap emphasizes the importance of user value, practical testing, and thorough evaluation to ensure that tech interventions in healthcare are effective and meet the needs of patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed how daily ECG self-recordings affect the detection and treatment timing of recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) in patients undergoing specific treatments.
- A total of 238 patients were divided into a control group receiving standard care and an intervention group using a mobile ECG device, revealing that the intervention group had a higher likelihood of detecting recurrence.
- Results indicate that while mobile ECG devices facilitate earlier detection of AF/AFL recurrences, they also showed that control patients had a shorter time from detection to treatment.
Informatics and Data Science for the Precision in Symptom Self-Management Center.
Stud Health Technol Inform
August 2019
Article Synopsis
- The PriSSM Center aims to enhance symptom self-management among Latinos by considering various factors that affect individuals throughout their lives.
- The center utilizes informatics and data science techniques to support its research endeavors, including pilot studies and resources.
- Three key focus areas of the center's work are the Latino Data Repository, Information Visualization, and Center Evaluation.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how sexual identity impacts sleep duration among U.S. adults, focusing on differences across race and ethnicity.
- The analysis included a large sample of 267,906 participants and utilized multinomial logistic regression to identify variations in sleep patterns based on sexual orientation and demographic factors.
- Findings indicate that sexual minority individuals, especially women and Black gay men, are more likely to experience very short sleep durations compared to their heterosexual peers, highlighting a need for targeted research on improving sleep health in these populations.*
Lifetime Trauma and Cardiometabolic Risk in Sexual Minority Women.
J Womens Health (Larchmt)
September 2019
Article Synopsis
- Sexual minority women (SMW), including those who identify as lesbian or bisexual, show higher rates of cardiometabolic issues, but the reasons behind this are not well understood, particularly relating to trauma.
- A study using data from the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women Study found that trauma experienced during childhood, adulthood, or throughout life is linked to increased risk for conditions like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes in SMW.
- The study also indicated that trauma exposure is widespread, especially among SMW of color and those with lower education levels, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to assess trauma history when evaluating cardiometabolic risk in this population.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigated factors that predict the success of catheter ablation in treating atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATs) and the likelihood of recurrence in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD).
- Researchers reviewed data from 140 ACHD patients who underwent catheter ablation from 2005 to 2017, finding that a single mechanism of AT strongly correlated with better immediate outcomes.
- Over a median follow-up of nearly 50 months, 44% of patients experienced recurrent AT, with acute procedural success being a key predictor of long-term freedom from arrhythmias.
Article Synopsis
- Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly used to help patients with advanced heart failure, improving survival but leading to common arrhythmias that complicate management.
- There is no consensus on the best practices for managing these arrhythmias, including when to use procedures for those that are difficult to treat.
- This scientific statement aims to review evidence and provide guidance on managing arrhythmias in LVAD patients, covering device programming, clinical indications for LVAD implantation, and the physiological impact of continuous-flow support on these patients.
Article Synopsis
- This study analyzed sleep duration and sleep health differences among American adults based on sexual identity using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2014).
- It found no significant differences in sleep patterns between gay/bisexual men and heterosexual men, while not-sure men reported better sleep duration.
- Bisexual women experienced more issues than heterosexual women, including shorter sleep duration, higher medication use, and increased reports of sleep troubles and disorders, highlighting a need for improved sleep health support for bisexual women.
Article Synopsis
- Precision health combines personal lifestyle, genetics, behaviors, and environmental factors to create tailored health interventions for individuals.
- The Nursing Science Precision Health (NSPH) Model integrates these precision health concepts into symptom management and self-care, as part of initiatives by the National Institute of Nursing Research.
- The NSPH Model includes four key components and relies on a strong data science infrastructure, emphasizing the need for leadership from nurse scientists to advance precision health.
Article Synopsis
- * Key factors like left atrial size, epicardial fat, and other risks such as hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea contribute to this relationship, alongside evidence of lipid and mitochondrial problems in heart tissue.
- * Though diets have shown limited benefits, losing weight and boosting fitness levels might help lessen the occurrence and intensity of AF in affected individuals.
Background: Catheter ablation is commonly performed to treat atrial arrhythmias in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). Despite the frequency of ablations in the ACHD population, predictors of recurrence remain poorly defined.
Objective: We sought to determine predictors of arrhythmia recurrence in ACHD patients following catheter ablation for atrial arrhythmias.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore how sexual orientation affects the risk of cardiovascular disease and related factors among different groups.
- It analyzed data from over 395,000 participants from the 2014 to 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, focusing on the differences between heterosexual, gay, and bisexual individuals.
- The results showed that sexual minorities faced higher rates of mental distress, depression, and some cardiovascular risk factors, with unique patterns observed in men and women, suggesting a need for targeted prevention strategies.
Article Synopsis
- Patient-generated health data (PGHD) collected through mobile health (mHealth) technology shows promise for managing chronic conditions like atrial fibrillation (AF), but ongoing patient engagement is a significant challenge.
- *This study explores factors influencing sustained engagement in AF patients using ECG mHealth technology over six months, highlighting differences in motivation and support between engaged and unengaged individuals.
- *Aside from ease of use and usefulness, key factors affecting engagement include internal motivation, provider relationships, supportive environments, and the availability of feedback and guidance.*