Publications by authors named "Rachel Annam"

Lifestyle Medicine (LM) is an emerging field dedicated to the prevention, management, and reversal of chronic diseases by promoting healthy lifestyle choices. LM utilizes six pillars targeting the root causes of diseases to promote health, improve clinical outcomes and significantly enhance overall quality of life. They include plant-based nutrition, physical activity, sleep health, tobacco cessation/managing risky alcohol use, and spiritual/emotional well-being.

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Purpose: We previously demonstrated that including walnuts in the diets of adults at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) led to improved overall diet quality. This report examines the specific changes in their nutrient intake.

Design: This was a randomized, controlled, modified Latin square parallel design trial with 2 treatment arms.

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Background: The inclusion or exclusion of specific foods from the overall diet inevitably affects other food choices, and this matter is routinely neglected in dietary guidance and nutritional epidemiology. We examined how the inclusion of eggs in the diets of type 2 diabetics affected dietary pattern.

Methods: Randomized, controlled, single-blind, crossover trial of 34 adults (mean age 64.

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Purpose: We present the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) with a 7-hexagon array as an objective test of macular function that can be recorded in 14 s. We provide normal values and investigate its reproducibility and validity.

Methods: Healthy participants underwent mfERG testing according to International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standards using the Espion Profile/D310 multifocal ERG system (Diagnosys, LLC, Lowell, MA, USA).

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Purpose: We compared the fixation stability measurements obtained with two microperimeters, the Micro Perimeter 1 (MP-1) and the Spectral OCT/SLO (OCT/SLO), in subjects with and without maculopathies.

Methods: A total of 41 eyes with no known ocular diseases and 45 eyes with maculopathies were enrolled in the study. Both eyes of each participant had a 20-second fixation test using the MP-1 and OCT/SLO.

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Purpose: To assess oxygen saturation (StO2) in retinal vessels of normal subjects and diabetic patients with and without retinopathy using the modified version of the Flow Oximetry System (FOS) and a novel assessment software.

Methods: The FOS and novel assessment software were used to determine StO2 levels in arteries and veins located between 1 and 2 mm from the margin of the optic disc and in the macular area.

Results: Eighteen normal subjects, 15 diabetics without diabetic retinopathy (DM no DR), and 11 with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) were included in final analysis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study compared retinal sensitivity measurements between two devices, the Micro-Perimeter 1 (MP-1) and the Optos OCT/SLO, in individuals with and without maculopathies.
  • Results indicated a ceiling effect with the MP-1 in healthy subjects (90.1% clustered at 20 dB) and a floor effect with the OCT/SLO in those with maculopathies (9.7% at 9 dB), highlighting the differing sensitivity ranges of the devices.
  • The authors suggest broadening the dynamic range of these microperimeters to reduce these effects, and they established a mathematical relationship between the measurements within a common sensitivity range.
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Autoimmune uveitis is a group of sight-threatening inflammatory diseases associated with an exacerbated immunological response to ocular proteins. The Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature Working Group Guidelines have recommended the use of corticosteroids as the first line of therapy for patients who present with active uveitis. However, long-term use of corticosteroids is associated with numerous adverse effects including cataract, glaucoma and metabolic disorders.

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