Publications by authors named "Pedro S Marra"

Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) holds promise in diagnosing fever of unknown origin (FUO) by detecting diverse pathogens. We systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate mNGS's accuracy, clinical efficacy, and limitations in FUO diagnosis. Nine studies revealed mNGS's positivity rate ranging from 66.

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  • * The study aimed to identify consistent DNA methylation (DNAm) markers associated with delirium by analyzing blood samples from four different patient cohorts.
  • * Results showed that 11 out of 13 previously identified top CpG sites had significant DNAm differences between delirious and non-delirious patients, suggesting that epigenetic biomarkers could be useful for diagnosis and understanding delirium's underlying biology.
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Delirium, a syndrome characterized by an acute change in attention, awareness, and cognition, is commonly observed in older adults, although there are few quantitative monitoring methods in the clinical setting. We developed a bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) method capable of detecting delirium and can quantify the severity of delirium using a novel algorithm. Preclinical application of this novel BSEEG method can capture a delirium-like state in mice following lipopolysaccharide administration.

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  • Military sexual trauma (MST) is a significant concern in the U.S. military, often leading to mental health issues like PTSD and major depressive disorder, but not all MST victims experience these conditions.
  • In this study, saliva samples from 113 female veterans were analyzed for DNA methylation patterns to understand differences between those with and without MST, PTSD, and major depressive disorder.
  • The research identified a specific region near the ZFP57 gene that showed altered DNA methylation in PTSD cases, suggesting that ZFP57 may play a role in PTSD susceptibility and warranting further investigation.
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  • This study investigates the relationship between NSAID use, DNA methylation, and biological pathways associated with aging and diseases like delirium.
  • Researchers collected blood samples from 171 patients to analyze DNA methylation profiles and assess NSAID use through electronic medical records.
  • Although several biological pathways related to NSAIDs were identified, the results were not statistically significant, indicating that the findings are preliminary and warrant further exploration.
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Objective: To investigate the relationship between history of anti-inflammatory medication use and delirium risk, as well as long-term mortality.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, subjects recruited between January 2016 and March 2020 were analyzed. Information about anti-inflammatory medication use history including aspirin, NSAIDs, glucosamine, and other anti-inflammatory drugs, was collected.

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Background: Metformin, a commonly prescribed anti-diabetic medication, has repeatedly been shown to hinder aging in pre-clinical models and to be associated with lower mortality for humans. It is, however, not well understood how metformin can potentially prolong lifespan from a biological standpoint. We hypothesized that metformin's potential mechanism of action for longevity is through its epigenetic modifications.

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Purpose: Metformin has been reported to improve age-related disorders, including dementia, and to lower mortality. This study was conducted to investigate whether metformin use lower delirium risk, as well as long-term mortality.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, previously recruited 1,404 subjects were analyzed.

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  • * Analyzing DNA samples from 40 patients, the most significant difference was found at a specific site in the brain near the ADAMTS9 gene, but no findings reached genome-wide significance.
  • * The enrichment analysis revealed pathways related to glial cell differentiation in the brain, immune function in blood, and circadian rhythm in saliva and buccal samples, suggesting DNA methylation may play a role in the mechanisms of delirium.
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Aims: There is no previous study demonstrating the differences of genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles between patients with and without postoperative delirium (POD). We aimed to discover epigenetic (DNAm) markers that are associated with POD in blood obtained from patients before and after neurosurgery.

Methods: Pre- and post-surgical blood DNA samples from 37 patients, including 10 POD cases, were analyzed using the Illumina EPIC array genome-wide platform.

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Background: We have developed the bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) method for detection of delirium and prediction of poor outcomes.

Aims: To improve the BSEEG method by introducing a new EEG device.

Method: In a prospective cohort study, EEG data were obtained and BSEEG scores were calculated.

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The pathophysiological mechanisms of postoperative delirium (POD) are still not clear, and no reliable biomarker is available to differentiate those with and without POD. Pre- and post-surgery blood from epilepsy subjects undergoing neurosurgery were collected. DNA methylation (DNAm) levels of the TNF gene, IL1B gene, and IL6 gene by the Illumina EPIC array method, and DNAm levels of the TNF gene by pyrosequencing, were analyzed.

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We have previously developed a bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) device, which was shown to be effective in detecting delirium and predicting patient outcomes. In this study we aimed to apply the BSEEG approach for a sepsis. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a single center.

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It has been suggested that aging and inflammation play key roles in the development of delirium. In the present study, we investigated the differences of the DNAm patterns in the TNF gene between patients with delirium and without. The data and samples derived from previous and ongoing cohort studies were analyzed.

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Background/objectives: Detecting delirium is important to identify patients with a high risk of poor outcomes. Although many different kinds of screening instruments for delirium exist, there is no solid consensus about which methods are the most effective. In addition, it is important to find the most useful tools in predicting outcomes such as mortality.

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