Publications by authors named "Kobe E"

Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) is now nearly ubiquitous. However, the survival benefits conferred with ART contribute to an aging human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) population and increased risk of chronic diseases, like atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Furthermore, HIV is a known risk enhancer of ASCVD and acknowledged as such in the current 2018 AHA/ACC Blood Cholesterol guidelines [1].

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study at Duke University Hospital reviewed 421 patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) to assess the frequency and causes of ICD shocks post-surgery.
  • Out of these patients, 33.9% experienced at least one shock, with 77.3% deemed appropriate and 22.7% inappropriate, primarily due to supraventricular tachycardia.
  • The findings suggest that better ICD programming, such as longer detection delays and higher rate cutoffs, could reduce the number of inappropriate shocks in LVAD recipients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Heart failure (HF) is a significant clinical and financial burden worldwide. Remote monitoring (RM) devices capable of identifying early physiologic changes in decompensation have the potential to reduce the HF burden. However, few trials have discussed at length the practical aspects of implementing RM in real-world clinical practice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Examine factors associated with increased diabetes distress (DD) among patients with type 2 diabetes with DD assessed by Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) total and subscale scores (emotional burden, physician-related distress, regimen-related distress, and interpersonal distress).

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of data from veterans with persistently poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Multivariable linear regression models included baseline patient characteristics (independent variables) and DDS total and subscale scores (dependent variable).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Aims: Data are limited regarding colonoscopy risk during long-term, programmatic colorectal cancer screening and follow-up. We aimed to describe adverse events during follow-up in a colonoscopy screening program after the baseline examination and examine factors associated with increased risk.

Methods: Cooperative Studies Program no.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Rural patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may experience poor glycemic control due to limited access to T2D specialty care and self-management support. Telehealth can facilitate delivery of comprehensive T2D care to rural patients, but implementation in clinical practice is challenging.

Objective: To examine the implementation of Advanced Comprehensive Diabetes Care (ACDC), an evidence-based, comprehensive telehealth intervention for clinic-refractory, uncontrolled T2D.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are at high risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and evidence suggests that poor glycemic control is linked to heightened risk of progressive NAFLD. We conducted an observational study based on data from a telehealth trial conducted in 2018-2020. Our objectives were to (1) characterize patterns of NAFLD testing/care in a cohort of individuals with poorly controlled T2DM; and (2) explore how laboratory based measures of NAFLD (eg, liver enzymes, fibrosis-4 [FIB-4]) vary by glycemic control.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Illuminating heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) within trials is important for identifying target populations for implementation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine HTE in a trial of group medical visits (GMVs) for patients with type 2 diabetes and elevated body mass index.

Research Design And Measures: Participants (n=263) were randomized to GMV-based medication management plus low carbohydrate diet-focused weight management (WM/GMV; n=127) or GMV-based medication management alone (GMV; n=136) for diabetes control.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Persistent poorly-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (PPDM), or maintenance of a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥8.5% despite receiving clinic-based diabetes care, contributes disproportionately to the national diabetes burden. Comprehensive telehealth interventions may help ameliorate PPDM, but existing approaches have rarely been designed with clinical implementation in mind, limiting use in routine practice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • African Americans have higher rates of diabetes and related conditions, leading to greater risk of kidney function decline compared to non-African Americans.
  • A study analyzed the effects of a pharmacist-led telehealth intervention on kidney function in 281 primary care patients, with a focus on how responses differed between African Americans and non-African Americans.
  • Results indicated that African Americans in the intervention group experienced better preservation of kidney function, while non-African Americans experienced a greater decline, suggesting the intervention was more effective for African Americans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

High-resolution MRI-derived finite element analysis (FEA) has been used in translational research to estimate the mechanical competence of human bone. However, this method has yet to be validated adequately under in vivo imaging spatial resolution or signal-to-noise conditions. We therefore compared MRI-based metrics of bone strength to those obtained from direct, mechanical testing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rational And Objectives: Low intensity vibration (LIV) may represent a nondrug strategy to mitigate bone deficits in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Materials And Methods: Thirty end-stage renal patients on maintenance hemodialysis were randomized to stand for 20 minutes each day on either an active or placebo LIV device. Analysis at baseline and completion of 6-month intervention included magnetic resonance imaging (tibia and fibula stiffness; trabecular thickness, number, separation, bone volume fraction, plate-to-rod ratio; and cortical bone porosity), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (hip and spine bone mineral density [BMD]), and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (tibia trabecular and cortical BMD; calf muscle cross-sectional area).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rationale And Objectives: Severe progressive multifocal heterotopic ossification (HO) is a rare occurrence seen predominantly in patients who have fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) and is difficult to quantitate owing to patient-, disease-, logistical-, and radiation-related issues. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scoring system based on plain radiographs for quantitative assessment of HO lesions in patients with FOP.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained from the University of Pennsylvania, and all data comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose To describe a nonlinear finite element analysis method by using magnetic resonance (MR) images for the assessment of the mechanical competence of the hip and to demonstrate the reproducibility of the tool. Materials and Methods This prospective study received institutional review board approval and fully complied with HIPAA regulations for patient data. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The spectrum of causes of cholestasis ranges from microscopically recognizable damage to the parenchymal cells of the liver to obstruction of the ductus choledochus und papilla Vateri. Liver biopsy on the one hand and ERCP on the other therefore constitute the morphological methods that come closest to the pathological substrate. Obligatory sonography serves the restriction of diagnosis to a large extent.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

40 women, average age 52.5 years, with varying stages of primary biliary cirrhosis, were observed. One third of them suffered from a mild anaemia, mean plasma concentrations of ALAT were increased four times and those of AP six times.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sixty-three patients with degree III or IV esophageal varices and the so-called red color sign, but without previous bleeding were randomly assigned to either prophylactic sclerotherapy (PST) (n = 30) or to a control group (n = 33). In 58 cases the portal hypertension was caused by liver cirrhosis (40% alcoholics). The two groups were comparable with respect to demographic data and endoscopic appearance, causes and severity of liver damage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Esophageal varices nearly always rupture at or just above the gastro-esophageal junction. Mucosal changes on top of the varices, the so-called red colour sign, are found in the majority of patients with a positive bleeding history. An increase of intraabdominal pressure and consequently a sudden pressure rise in the varices is thought of as a trigger cause.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In a prospective study the routine endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract was carried out in 100 patients before they underwent elective cholecystectomy for gallstones. In 31/100 patients we detected abnormalities which changed the plan of therapy. In 18/100 patients the cholecystectomy was performed 4 to 8 weeks later, after additional medical treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Several prospective studies on the efficiency and technique of endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) were performed among 300 patients with bleeding esophageal varices, 173 of which had been treated by EST. Contrasted with a comparable control group (n = 80), EST (n = 100) reduced the incidence of rebleedings (40% vs 13.3%; p less than 0.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The results of morphological study of B- and T-cellular immunoblast baboon lymphomas are presented. Differences are found both in the structure of tumour cells and in the histostructure of tumours as a whole. The tumor cells of B-immunoblastic lymphomas expressed mainly IgM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A case of multiple abdominal haemangiomas (mesentery, intestine, liver) in a 19 year-old patient is described. The anomalies, at first incidentally found during appendectomy, were confirmed by angiographies and vascular surgery. Ascites and bleeding esophageal varices developed in further course.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Based on 28 histologically well-established cases of chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis, clinico-pathological aspects of differential diagnosis and staging are reported. In only half of the cases could the diagnosis be made on the first liver biopsy. In 14 cases, two or more liver biopsy specimens were necessary for diagnosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Through a survey 751 patients, in whom an endoscopic papillotomy (EPT) had been tried, were registered to the end of 1981. EPT was technically successful in 695 cases (92,5%). Control investigations were available for 650 patients, the aim of therapy being achieved in 594 cases (91,4%).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF