"Black Women Should Not Die Giving Life": The lived experiences of Black women diagnosed with severe maternal morbidity in the United States.

Objective: We sought to understand the lived experiences of Black women diagnosed with severe maternal morbidity (SMM) in communities with high maternal mortality to inform practices that reduce obstetric racism and improve patient outcomes.

Methods: From August 2022 through December 2022, we conducted a phenomenological, qualitative study among Black women who experienced SMM. Participants were recruited via social media and met inclusion criteria if they self-identified as Black cisgender women, were 18-40 years old, had SMM diagnosed, and lived within zip codes in the United States that have the top-five highest maternal mortality rates.

Prevalence and clinical risk factors for esophageal candidiasis in non-human immunodeficiency virus patients: A multicenter retrospective case-control study.

Background: Although esophageal candidiasis (EC) may manifest in immunocompetent individuals, there is a lack of consensus in the current literature about predisposing conditions that increase the risk of infection.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of EC in patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and identify risk factors for infection.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed inpatient and outpatient encounters from 5 regional hospitals within the United States (US) from 2015 to 2020.

Comparison of Point-of-Care versus Central Laboratory Testing of Electrolytes, Hemoglobin, and Bilirubin in Neonates.

Objective: Electrolyte, hemoglobin, and bilirubin values are routinely reported with point-of-care (POC) testing for blood gases. Results are rapidly available and require a small blood volume. Yet, these results are underutilized due to noted discrepancies between central laboratory (CL) and POC testing.

Rationale and design of the Women's Ischemia Trial to Reduce Events in Nonobstructive CAD (WARRIOR) trial.

Background: Approximately half of all women with anginal symptoms and/or signs of ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) referred for coronary angiography have elevated risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACE), poor quality of life and resource consumption. Yet, guidelines focus on symptom management while clinical practice typically advocates only reassurance. Pilot studies of INOCA subjects suggest benefit with intensive medical therapy (IMT) that includes high-intensity statins and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or receptor blockers (ARB) to provide the rationale for a randomized pragmatic trial to limit MACE.

Discovery and fine-mapping of height loci via high-density imputation of GWASs in individuals of African ancestry.

Although many loci have been associated with height in European ancestry populations, very few have been identified in African ancestry individuals. Furthermore, many of the known loci have yet to be generalized to and fine-mapped within a large-scale African ancestry sample. We performed sex-combined and sex-stratified meta-analyses in up to 52,764 individuals with height and genome-wide genotyping data from the African Ancestry Anthropometry Genetics Consortium (AAAGC).

Cognitive Correlates of MRI-defined Cerebral Vascular Injury and Atrophy in Elderly American Indians: The Strong Heart Study.

Objective: American Indians experience substantial health disparities relative to the US population, including vascular brain aging. Poorer cognitive test performance has been associated with cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings in aging community populations, but no study has investigated these associations in elderly American Indians.

Methods: We examined 786 American Indians aged 64 years and older from the Cerebrovascular Disease and its Consequences in American Indians study (2010-2013).

Large Cohort Data Based Cost-Effective Disease Prevention Design Strategy: Strong Heart Study.

Background And Objective: A multitude of large cohort studies have collected data on incidence and covariates/risk factors of various chronic diseases. However, approaches for utilization of these large data and translation of the valuable results to inform and guide clinical disease prevention practice are not well developed. In this paper, we proposed, based on large cohort study data, a novel conceptual cost-effective disease prevention design strategy for a target group when it is not affordable to include everyone in the target group for intervention.

The association of mannose binding lectin genotype and immune response to Chlamydia pneumoniae: The Strong Heart Study.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality in American Indian communities. The Strong Heart Study (SHS) was initiated in response to the need for population based estimates of cardiovascular disease in American Indians. Previous studies within SHS have identified correlations between heart disease and deficiencies in mannose binding lectin (MBL), a motif recognition molecule of the innate immune system.

Comparison of coronary revascularization appropriateness for non-acute coronary syndrome cases under the 2017 update vs the 2012 appropriate use criteria.

Objectives: To compare coronary revascularization appropriateness for non-acute coronary syndrome cases under the 2017 update vs the 2012 appropriate use criteria (AUC).

Background: In 2017, the 2012 AUC for coronary revascularization were updated. We examined how applying these new 2017 updates to our previous inappropriate cases would change their appropriateness.

Lipid Profiles, Inflammatory Markers, and Insulin Therapy in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objectives: Data regarding atherogenic dyslipidemia and the inflammation profile in youth with type 2 diabetes is limited and the effect of insulin therapy on these variables has not previously been studied in youth. We determined the impact of insulin therapy on lipid and inflammatory markers in youth with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

Study Design: In the Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) multicenter trial, 285 participants failed to sustain glycemic control on randomized treatment (primary outcome, glycated hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] at ≥8% for 6 months); 363 maintained glycemic control (never reached primary outcome).

Cardiac Biomarkers in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Results from the TODAY Study.

Objectives: To examine cardiac biomarkers over time in youth-onset type 2 diabetes, and relate serum concentrations to cardiovascular disease risk factors, and left ventricular structure and function.

Study Design: TODAY (Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth) was a multicenter randomized trial of 3 treatments including 521 participants with type 2 diabetes, aged 10-17 years, and with 2-6 years of follow-up. Participants were 36% male, obese, and ethnically diverse.

The Subclinical Cardiomyopathy of Friedreich's Ataxia in a Pediatric Population.

Background: Identification of a subclinical cardiomyopathy in pediatric patients with Friedreich's ataxia (FA) has not been well-described.

Methods: We performed echocardiography (Echo), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), and neurologic assessment in a cross-sectional analysis of 48 genetically confirmed FA subjects aged 9-17 years with moderate neurologic impairment but without a cardiovascular history. Echo- and cMRI-determined left ventricular mass were indexed (LVMI) to height in grams/m.

Evacetrapib and Cardiovascular Outcomes in High-Risk Vascular Disease.

Background: The cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor evacetrapib substantially raises the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level, reduces the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, and enhances cellular cholesterol efflux capacity. We sought to determine the effect of evacetrapib on major adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with high-risk vascular disease.

Methods: In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial, we enrolled 12,092 patients who had at least one of the following conditions: an acute coronary syndrome within the previous 30 to 365 days, cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease, peripheral vascular arterial disease, or diabetes mellitus with coronary artery disease.

Are Optimism and Cynical Hostility Associated with Smoking Cessation in Older Women?

Background: Optimism and cynical hostility independently predict morbidity and mortality in Women's Health Initiative (WHI) participants and are associated with current smoking. However, their association with smoking cessation in older women is unknown.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test whether optimism (positive future expectations) or cynical hostility (mistrust of others) predicts smoking cessation in older women.

A comparison of the knowledge base and surgical skills of integrated versus independent vascular surgery trainees.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the knowledge base and surgical skills of 0/5 integrated resident (IR) and 5/2 independent fellow (IF) vascular surgery trainees using milestones.

Methods: An anonymous survey, endorsed by the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, was sent to all program directors (PDs) of IR and IF training programs. The survey asked PDs to assess their trainees' milestones in postgraduate year (PGY) 4 to 7 pertinent to knowledge base and surgical skills using a 5-point Likert scale.

Usability in Health IT: Beyond Compliance to Meaningful Design and Assessment.

The relatively rapid transition from a paper-based system to a digital system in healthcare has not always employed a sophisticated integration of usability concepts. Yet usability is critical to safety and to effectiveness of the electronic health record, and regulators and policy makers have been increasingly focused on this area. This panel will provide a variety of perspectives on this important issue, ranging from a description of the problem based on current vendor usability practices; recommendations regarding domain content rich usability processes including use cases, assessments, and scenarios; and the extension of usability assessments and design improvements to post-system implementation.

Donor Factors Including Donor Risk Index Predict Fibrosis Progression, Allograft Loss, and Patient Survival following Liver Transplantation for Hepatitis C Virus.

Background: The utilization of liver transplantation (LT) is limited by the availability of suitable organs. This study aimed to assess the impact of the donor risk index (DRI) and other donor characteristics on fibrosis progression, graft, and patient survival in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected LT recipients.

Methods: HCV-infected LT recipients who had at least 2 post-LT protocol liver biopsy specimens available were included.

Metabolic Profiles of Obesity in American Indians: The Strong Heart Family Study.

Obesity is a typical metabolic disorder resulting from the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. American Indians suffer disproportionately high rates of obesity and diabetes. The goal of this study is to identify metabolic profiles of obesity in 431 normoglycemic American Indians participating in the Strong Heart Family Study.

Evacetrapib alone or in combination with statins lowers lipoprotein(a) and total and small LDL particle concentrations in mildly hypercholesterolemic patients.

Background: Potent CETP inhibitors reduce plasma concentrations of atherogenic lipoprotein biomarkers of cardiovascular risk.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor evacetrapib, as monotherapy or with statins, on atherogenic apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins in mildly hypercholesterolemic patients.

Methods: VLDL and LDL particle concentrations and sizes (using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and lipoprotein(a) concentration (using nephelometry) were measured at baseline and week 12 in a placebo-controlled trial of 393 patients treated with evacetrapib as monotherapy (30 mg/d, 100 mg/d, or 500 mg/d) or in combination with statins (100 mg plus simvastatin 40 mg/d, atorvastatin 20 mg/d, or rosuvastatin 10 mg/d; Clinicaltrials.

Impact of incident diabetes on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease according to statin use history among postmenopausal women.

To compare impact of incident diabetes on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk among postmenopausal women according to statin use. Prospective data from 120,499 postmenopausal women without prevalent diabetes or cardiovascular disease at baseline from the Women's Health Initiative were used. Incident diabetes was self-reported annually and defined as treatment with pills or injectable medication for diabetes.