Publications by authors named "L K Hummers"
Purpose Of Review: The present review aims to address systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated myocardial disease, a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, by examining the mechanisms of inflammation, microvascular dysfunction, and fibrosis that drive cardiac involvement. The objective is to elucidate critical risk factors and explore advanced diagnostic tools for early detection, enhancing patient outcomes by identifying those at highest risk.
Recent Findings: Recent studies underscore the importance of specific autoantibody profiles, disease duration, and cardiovascular comorbidities as key risk factors for severe cardiac manifestations in SSc.
Article Synopsis
- Cutaneous telangiectasia (Tel) are dilated blood vessels in the skin and are common symptoms of systemic sclerosis (SSc), which can aid in diagnosing and classifying the disease.
- * Despite their significance, the impact of SSc-Tel on patients' body image and social interactions is often underestimated by healthcare providers.
- * The review emphasizes the need for more research on the pathogenesis, diagnostic importance, and treatment options for SSc-Tel to better support affected individuals.
Article Synopsis
- A study compared fatigue levels in a large group of people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) to typical fatigue levels in the general population, finding that SSc patients experienced significantly more fatigue.
- Participants included 2,385 individuals, with a majority being female and averaging around 55 years old, and it was noted that 18% reported mild fatigue, 27% moderate fatigue, and 8% severe fatigue.
- Factors such as age, gender, marital status, fatigue-related lifestyle choices (like smoking and BMI), and specific disease features (like gastrointestinal issues and joint problems) were all linked to higher fatigue scores in SSc patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates small bowel issues in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, finding that around 50% of these patients are affected, often severely.
- Using statistical analysis, researchers compared clinical characteristics of SSc patients with and without small bowel abnormalities, revealing that those with issues were more likely to be male, had worse cardiac problems, and lower rates of dry mouth/eyes (sicca symptoms).
- The study concludes that recognizing patients with abnormal small bowel transit can help in risk assessment and improving patient care, as these individuals showed higher mortality rates.
Article Synopsis
- Dynamic prediction of treatment effects in precision medicine faces challenges due to unknown treatment assignments and outcomes in observational studies.
- A new multivariate generalized linear mixed-effects model and Bayesian g-computation algorithm are introduced to estimate the benefits of dynamic treatment regimens for different subgroups.
- The method incorporates unmeasured factors as random effects and is validated through simulation, along with its application to assess the efficacy of mycophenolate in scleroderma patients.