Juan Wisnivesky - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Juan Wisnivesky

Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2008

Background. Thoracoscopic lobectomy is performed with increasing frequency for early-stage lung c... more Background. Thoracoscopic lobectomy is performed with increasing frequency for early-stage lung cancer. Several published reports suggest thoracoscopic resection is safe, with the potential advantage of shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery, and comparable oncologic results.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2007

Sensitivity and exposure to indoor allergens is associated with increased asthma morbidity in inn... more Sensitivity and exposure to indoor allergens is associated with increased asthma morbidity in inner-city children. However, it is unknown whether sensitization is associated with worse asthma in adults. To evaluate the relationship between sensitization and asthma morbidity in urban adults. We prospectively studied 245 adults with persistent asthma recruited from an inner-city clinic. Sensitization to indoor allergens was evaluated by specific IgE antibodies measured at enrollment. Data on asthma control, asthma-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and oral steroid use were collected at baseline and at 1-month and 3-month follow-up contacts. Univariate, stratified, and multiple regression analyses were used to compare asthma morbidity in sensitized and nonsensitized patients after controlling for self-reported exposure and other potential confounders. The study cohort consisted predominantly of low income, minority patients with high rates of resource utilization. The prevalences of sensitization to cockroach, dust mite, cat, mold, and mouse were 60%, 43%, 41%, 21%, and 14%. On univariate analyses, patients sensitized to each allergen did not have worse asthma control or higher resource utilization compared with nonsensitized individuals. Stratified and multivariate analyses also showed no association between sensitization and several measures of asthma morbidity even after controlling for self-reported exposure to indoor allergens and other potential confounders. Sensitization to indoor allergens does not appear to be associated with increased asthma morbidity in inner-city adults. These findings suggest that efforts to improve asthma control among urban populations should focus on other modifiable risk factors for morbidity.

Human Gene Therapy, 2002

To help define the safety profile of the use of adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors in humans, ... more To help define the safety profile of the use of adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors in humans, this report summarizes our experience since April 1993 of the local administration of E1(-)/E3(-) Ad vectors to humans using low (<10(9) particle units) or intermediate (10(9)-10(11) particle units) doses. Included in the study are 90 individuals and 12 controls, with diverse comorbid conditions, including cystic fibrosis, colon cancer metastatic to liver, severe coronary artery disease, and peripheral vascular disease, as well as normals. These individuals received 140 different administrations of vector, with up to seven administrations to a single individual. The vectors used include three different transgenes (human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator cDNA, E. coli cytosine deaminase gene, and the human vascular endothelial growth factor 121 cDNA) administered by six different routes (nasal epithelium, bronchial epithelium, percutaneous to solid tumor, intradermal, epicardial injection of the myocardium, and skeletal muscle). The total population was followed for 130.4 patient-years. The study assesses adverse events, common laboratory tests, and long-term follow-up, including incidence of death or development of malignancy. The total group incidence of major adverse events linked to an Ad vector was 0.7%. There were no deaths attributable to the Ad vectors per se, and the incidence of malignancy was within that expected for the population. Overall, the observations are consistent with the concept that local administration of low and intermediate doses of Ad vectors appears to be well tolerated.

Medical Care, 2009

Patient-provider communication is essential for high-quality asthma care. The objective of this s... more Patient-provider communication is essential for high-quality asthma care. The objective of this study was to assess the potential relationship of language barriers with outcomes of inner-city asthmatics. We interviewed a prospective cohort of 318 adults with persistent asthma receiving care at 2 large inner-city clinics. Patients were classified into 3 groups according to their English proficiency; non-Hispanics (all native English speakers), Hispanics proficient in English, and Hispanics with limited English proficiency. Data on asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire), resource utilization, and asthma-related quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire) were collected at 1 and 3 months of enrollment. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to compare asthma morbidity and quality of life according to the patients' level of English proficiency. Overall, 44% of patients were non-Hispanics, 38% were Hispanics proficient in English, and 18% were Hispanics with limited English proficiency. Unadjusted, stratified, and multivariate analyses showed a significant association between limited proficiency and poorer asthma control, increased resource utilization, and lower quality of life scores after controlling for potential confounders (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Additionally, limited English proficiency was associated with increased worries about side effects or becoming addicted to inhaled…

Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2008

Controversies regarding the safety, morbidity, and mortality of thoracoscopic lobectomy have prev... more Controversies regarding the safety, morbidity, and mortality of thoracoscopic lobectomy have prevented the widespread acceptance of the procedure. This series analyzed the safety, pain, analgesic use, and discharge disposition in patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy at a single institution. We collected data from 153 consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracic surgery) lobectomy and assessed the perioperative outcomes, postoperative pain, and chemotherapy course. A total of 111 of 127 patients with lung cancer had stage I non-small cell lung cancer. The operative technique required 2 ports and an access incision (5-8 cm), individual hilar ligation, and lymph node dissection performed without rib-spreading devices. There were 9 major complications (6%), including 1 perioperative death (0.7%). Conversion to thoracotomy occurred in 14 patients (9.2%). Blood transfusion was required in 11 patients (7%). The median chest tube time was 3 days, and the length of hospital stay was 4 days; 94.4% of patients went home at the time of discharge, and 5.6% of patients required a rehabilitation facility. At a median postsurgical follow-up time of 2 weeks, the mean postoperative pain score was 0.6 (0-3), 73% of patients did not use narcotics for pain control, and 47% of patients did not use any pain medication. Of patients receiving chemotherapy (N = 26), 73% completed a full course on schedule and 85% received all intended cycles. Thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracic surgery) lobectomy can be performed safely. Discharge independence and low pain estimates in the early postoperative period suggest that this approach may be beneficial. Furthermore, there is a trend toward improved tolerance of chemotherapy.

Important variations exist in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Because resection is t... more Important variations exist in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Because resection is the most effective treatment for patients with early disease, disparities in surgical rates can generate considerable differences in outcomes. We analyzed data from a national population-based registry to evaluate disparities in the treatment of Hispanic and white patients with stage I lung cancer and to assess the extent to which these inequalities explain survival differences. This study included 16,036 Hispanic and white patients with stage I lung cancer diagnosed between 1991 and 2000. Cases were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Survival was compared among white and Hispanics using Kaplan-Meier curves. Stratified survival curves and Cox regression were used to evaluate whether inequalities in stage (IA vs. IB) and resection could explain survival differences. Hispanics had worse overall and lung cancer-specific survival compared with whites (p = 0.04 and 0.008, respectively). Five-year lung cancer survival was 54% for Hispanics versus 62% for whites. Hispanics were more frequently diagnosed with stage IB disease (p = 0.0002) and less likely to undergo resection (p = 0.03). Among resected patients, survival was similar for the two groups, as it was among those who did not undergo unresection. After adjusting for surgery and stage, there was no difference in survival between groups. Hispanics with stage I lung cancer had worse survival as compared with whites. These disparities are largely explained by lower rates of resection and higher probability of diagnosis at stage IB. Future work must delineate why Hispanics are receiving less surgery.

Cancer, 2008

BACKGROUNDThe presence of lymph node (LN) metastases in esophageal cancer has important prognosti... more BACKGROUNDThe presence of lymph node (LN) metastases in esophageal cancer has important prognostic and treatment implications. However, the optimal number of LNs that should be examined for accurate staging is controversial. In the current study, the association between survival and the number of LNs evaluated was examined in patients who underwent resection of lymph node-negative (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] TNM stage I-IIA) esophageal cancer.The presence of lymph node (LN) metastases in esophageal cancer has important prognostic and treatment implications. However, the optimal number of LNs that should be examined for accurate staging is controversial. In the current study, the association between survival and the number of LNs evaluated was examined in patients who underwent resection of lymph node-negative (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] TNM stage I-IIA) esophageal cancer.METHODSAll patients were identified who underwent surgery for lymph node-negative esophageal cancer between 1988 and 2003 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry. Patients were classified into 3 groups by the number of negative LNs sampled during surgery (≤10 LNs, 11-17 LNs, and ≥18 LNs). Esophageal cancer-specific survival was compared among these LN groups using Kaplan-Meier curves. Stratified and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between survival and the number of negative LNs after adjusting for potential confounders.All patients were identified who underwent surgery for lymph node-negative esophageal cancer between 1988 and 2003 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry. Patients were classified into 3 groups by the number of negative LNs sampled during surgery (≤10 LNs, 11-17 LNs, and ≥18 LNs). Esophageal cancer-specific survival was compared among these LN groups using Kaplan-Meier curves. Stratified and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between survival and the number of negative LNs after adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTSA total of 972 patients were included in the study. Disease-specific survival rates increased with a higher number of negative LNs. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 55% among patients with ≤10 negative LNs, compared with 66% and 75%, respectively, for those with 11 to 17 negative LNs and ≥18 negative LNs. The number of negative LNs was found to be significantly associated with survival in analyses stratified by tumor status. On multivariate regression controlling for age, race/ethnicity, sex, histology, tumor status, and postoperative radiotherapy, a higher number of negative LNs was found to be independently associated with higher disease-specific survival.A total of 972 patients were included in the study. Disease-specific survival rates increased with a higher number of negative LNs. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 55% among patients with ≤10 negative LNs, compared with 66% and 75%, respectively, for those with 11 to 17 negative LNs and ≥18 negative LNs. The number of negative LNs was found to be significantly associated with survival in analyses stratified by tumor status. On multivariate regression controlling for age, race/ethnicity, sex, histology, tumor status, and postoperative radiotherapy, a higher number of negative LNs was found to be independently associated with higher disease-specific survival.CONCLUSIONSThe presence of LN metastases in patients with esophageal cancer appears to have important prognostic and treatment implications. Data from the current study suggest that patients undergoing surgical resection for esophageal cancer should have at least 18 LNs removed. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.The presence of LN metastases in patients with esophageal cancer appears to have important prognostic and treatment implications. Data from the current study suggest that patients undergoing surgical resection for esophageal cancer should have at least 18 LNs removed. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

Journal of The American College of Surgeons, 2008

BMC Emergency Medicine, 2007

Background: Dyspnea is a common chief complaint in the emergency department (ED); differentiating... more Background: Dyspnea is a common chief complaint in the emergency department (ED); differentiating heart failure (HF) from other causes can be challenging. Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is a new diagnostic test for HF for use in dyspneic patients in the ED. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the accuracy of BNP in the emergency diagnosis of HF.

Human Gene Therapy, 2002

In this study we analyze the adverse events and abnormal laboratory parameters following local ad... more In this study we analyze the adverse events and abnormal laboratory parameters following local administration of low (,10 9 particle units) and intermediate (10 9 -10 11 particle units) single and repetitive doses (140 total) of E1 2 E3 2 adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors administered to the respiratory epithelium, solid tumors, skin, myocardium, and skeletal muscle in eight gene transfer trials since April 1993. In the accompanying paper by Harvey et al., (Hum. Gene Ther. 2002; 13:15-63), we conclude that for the total group, no deaths were attributable to the Ad vectors per se, and the incidence of major adverse events likely caused by an Ad vector was 0.7%. The present study analyzes the trials as a group to evaluate risk factors for the adverse events, abnormal values among laboratory parameters, and known deaths. Ten putative risk factors were assessed, including "patient-related" (age, sex, comorbid index and pretherapy anti-Ad antibodies), "vector-related" (dose, route, transgene, and number of vector administrations), and "trial-related" (trial in which the individual was enrolled, and whether surgery was part of the trial). While assessment of each factor individually suggested several possible associations with adverse events, abnormal laboratory parameters, or deaths, multivariate analysis identified only age, comorbid index, and surgery (comorbid index for death; age and surgery for nondeath adverse events) as variables significantly associated with increased risk for a major (severity scale 3-4 of 4) adverse event for individuals enrolled in these gene transfer trials. Importantly, multivariate analysis suggested that vector-related parameters, including dose, route, transgene, or number of vector administrations at the doses and routes evaluated in these studies, do not appear to be significant risk factors for a major adverse event. With the caveat that these are phase I, uncontrolled trials, we conclude that (1) there is no definitive risk factor that will clearly predict a major adverse outcome resulting from lo-

Lung Cancer, 2003

Purpose: To assess the genuineness and curability of diagnosed cases of Stage IA non-small-cell l... more Purpose: To assess the genuineness and curability of diagnosed cases of Stage IA non-small-cell lung cancer of diameter 6 Á/15 mm, with a view to screen-diagnosed asymptomatic cases. Methods: We identified all cases of diagnosed Stage IA (T1N0M0) primary non-small-cell lung cancer documented in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry in 1988 Á/1994. There were 885 such cases of diameter 6 Á/15 mm, 33 of them unresected, 1659 of diameter 16 Á/25 mm, and 782 of diameter 26 Á/30 mm. We determined the 8-year cumulative lung-cancer death rates adjusted for competing causes of death, separately for untreated and fully resected cases. Given the relative underdetection of lymph node metastases of the untreated cases, we also documented the case-fatality rates for the resected with inclusion of those with detected intra-pulmonary, hilar or ipsilateral mediastinal lymph node metastases. Results: The 8-year fatality rate for the diagnosed but untreated cases of lung cancer 6 Á/15 mm in diameter was 87%, for 16 Á/25 mm it was 94%, and for 26 Á/30 mm it was 88%. The corresponding estimates of cure rates with resection were 71, 67, and 55%, respectively. The cure rate estimate for the smallest cancers was 66% when adding those with detected lymph node metastases to the resected series, for those 16 Á/25 mm in diameter it was 65%, and for those 26 Á/30 mm in diameter it was 51%. Conclusion: Almost all diagnosed cases of Stage IA lung cancer as small as 10 mm in diameter have a malignant natural course, fatal if not treated, thus representing genuine cancer. Most of these cases are curable by resection. #

Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2003

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care fro... more OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care from an inpatient to an outpatient setting, and to determine if there is an association between these medical errors and adverse outcomes. PATIENTS: Eighty-six patients who had been hospitalized on the medicine service at a large academic medical center and who were subsequently seen by their primary care physicians at the affiliated outpatient practice within 2 months after discharge. DESIGN: Each patient’s inpatient and outpatient medical record was reviewed for the presence of 3 types of errors related to the discontinuity of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting: medication continuity errors, test follow-up errors, and work-up errors. MEASUREMENTS: Rehospitalizations within 3 months after the initial postdischarge outpatient primary care visit. MAIN RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of patients experienced at least 1 medical error. Patients with a work-up error were 6.2 times (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3 to 30.3) more likely to be rehospitalized within 3 months after the first outpatient visit. We did not find a statistically significant association between medication continuity errors (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95%CI, 0.7 to 8.8) and test follow-up errors (OR, 2.4; 95%CI, 0.3 to 17.1) with rehospitalizations. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting is high and may be associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization.

Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2009

Background Elderly patients with early-stage lung cancer are less likely to undergo tumor resecti... more Background Elderly patients with early-stage lung cancer are less likely to undergo tumor resection because of concerns about their ability to tolerate surgery or perceived limited life expectancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of age and competing risks on outcomes of elderly patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods We identified 27,859 cases of histologically confirmed, stage I NSCLC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Patients were grouped by age (<60, 61–69, 70–79, ≥80 years) and surgical resection status. Relative survival rates were compared amongst treatment groups by age strata to determine the potential impact of surgery and the contribution of competing risks to overall mortality. Results Patients aged <60, 61–69, 70–79, and ≥80 years represented 20%, 32%, 37%, and 11% of cases. The rate of surgical resections declined from 95% of patients <60 years, to 79% of patients aged ≥80 years. While 5-year relative survival rates were somewhat lower among males ≥80 years compared with those <60 years (63.5% versus 69.2%), there were no significant differences in relative survival among resected women or unresected patients, regardless of sex. Most deaths in unresected patients were attributed to lung cancer across all age groups. Conclusions Elderly patients who undergo resection achieve relative survival rates that are comparable to their younger counterparts. In unresected patients, lung cancer is the major source of mortality, even in the oldest age groups, suggesting that elderly patients with stage I lung cancer should receive aggressive surgical management when possible.

Human Gene Therapy, 1999

Adenovirus (Ad) vectors used for gene therapy are efficient in entering the infected cell and tar... more Adenovirus (Ad) vectors used for gene therapy are efficient in entering the infected cell and targeting their genome to the nucleus. To study the mechanism of the interaction between Ad and the nuclear envelope we have established an in vitro assay using rat liver nuclei incubated with serotype 5 Ad vector. Binding of either fluorophore (Cy3)-labeled Ad5 (Cy3-AdGFP) or [3H]Ad5 was blocked by excess unlabeled Ad5, indicating that the interaction was specific. Binding reached equilibrium within 30 min, exhibited temperature dependence with more binding occurring at 37 degrees C than at 4 degrees C and appeared to be irreversible. Prior treatment of nuclei with glutaraldehyde or proteolysis of nuclei with trypsin inhibited the Cy3-AdGFP association with nuclei, and pretreatment of Cy3-AdGFP with human anti-Ad5 serum, but not naive human serum, inhibited Cy3-AdGFP, suggesting a requirement for direct interaction between Ad5 and nuclei. Addition of excess unlabeled Ad serotype 2 or Ad serotype 7 competed for binding with Cy3-AdGFP, indicating that the capsid determinant of nuclear binding was conserved among group B and C Ad serotypes. These data suggest that the Ad capsid and nuclear envelope contain specific domains that mediate binding of the two entities and that binding mechanisms to the nuclear envelope might be a common final pathway of different Ad serotypes.

Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2009

Thirty-one patients underwent segmentectomy and 113 underwent lobectomy. Patients after segmentec... more Thirty-one patients underwent segmentectomy and 113 underwent lobectomy. Patients after segmentectomy had worse mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second than after lobectomy (83% vs 92%, P = .04). There were no differences in mean number of nodes (10) and ...

Archives of Internal Medicine, 2005

Background: Current guidelines for the control of nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis (TB) re... more Background: Current guidelines for the control of nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis (TB) recommend respiratory isolation for all patients with suspected TB. Application of these guidelines has resulted in many patients without TB being isolated on admission to the hospital, significantly increasing hospital costs. This study was conducted to prospectively validate a clinical decision rule to predict the need for respiratory isolation in inpatients with suspected TB.

Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2010

Background. Pneumonectomy is associated with a significant incidence of perioperative morbidity a... more Background. Pneumonectomy is associated with a significant incidence of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors responsible for adverse outcomes in patients after pneumonectomy utilizing The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTDB).

Archives of Internal Medicine, 2000

Respiratory isolation has been recommended for all patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) to a... more Respiratory isolation has been recommended for all patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) to avoid transmission to other patients and health care personnel. In implementing these guidelines, patients with and without TB are frequently isolated, significantly increasing hospital costs. The objective of this study was to derive a clinical rule to predict the need for respiratory isolation of patients with suspected TB. To identify potential predictors of the need for isolation, 56 inpatients with sputum cultures positive for TB were retrospectively compared with 56 controls who were isolated on admission to the hospital based on clinically suspected TB but whose sputum cultures tested negative for TB. Variables analyzed included TB risk factors, clinical symptoms, and findings from physical examination and chest radiography. Multivariate analysis revealed that the following factors were significantly associated with a culture positive for TB: presence of TB risk factors or symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 7.9 [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.4-24.2]), a positive purified protein derivative tuberculin test result (OR, 13.2 [95% CI, 4.4-40.7]), high temperature (OR, 2.8 [95% CI, 1.1-8.3]), and upper-lobe disease on chest radiograph (OR, 14.6 [95% CI, 3.7-57.5]). Shortness of breath (OR, 0.2 [95% CI, 0.12-0.53]) and crackles noted during the physical examination (OR, 0.29 [95% CI, 0.15-0.57]) were negative predictors of TB. A scoring system was developed using these variables. A patient&amp;amp;#39;s total score of 1 or higher indicated the need for respiratory isolation, accurately predicting a culture positive for TB (98% sensitivity [95% CI, 95%-100%]; 46% specificity [95% CI, 33%-59%]). Among inpatients with suspected active pulmonary TB, a prediction rule based on clinical and chest radiographic findings accurately identified patients requiring respiratory isolation.

Seminars in Ultrasound Ct and Mri, 2000

A wide variety of diagnostic tests are available to evaluate solitary pulmonary nodules, ranging ... more A wide variety of diagnostic tests are available to evaluate solitary pulmonary nodules, ranging from noninvasive to invasive. Given the virulence of lung cancer, those techniques that can provide cytological and pathological information are often chosen. However, the choice of which procedure to perform is complicated by numerous factors, including the sensitivity and specificity of the test, as well as the prevalence of disease. Additional considerations also include complications, availability and expertise in performing procedures, and overall cost of the diagnostic algorithm. Rather than make specific recommendations for diagnostic workup, it is more appropriate to consider that this will vary from institution to institution based on the above factors.

Lung Cancer, 2005

To evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor and node status among patients with Stage II non... more To evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor and node status among patients with Stage II non-small cell lung cancer using a population-based national database. We identified all primary cases of Stage II non-small cell lung cancer diagnosed prior to autopsy from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. Lung cancer-specific survival curves were obtained for the 5254 patients who had curative surgical resection, stratifying for tumor and node status (T1-2N1M0, T3N0M0). The 12.5-year Kaplan-Meier estimator of survival was used as a measure of lung cancer cure rate. The influence of gender, age, cell type, pathologic tumor status, nodal metastasis, surgical method, and post-operative radiation therapy were evaluated using Cox regression. Survival was better for T1N1 cases during the first 3--4 years after diagnosis. Five-year survival for T1N1 and T3N0 cases however, was not significantly different (46% versus 48%, p=0.4) and the cure rate was somewhat higher for T3N0 cases (33% versus to 27%, p=0.10). T2N1 cases had the worst overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that gender, age, tumor and nodal status, and histology were independent prognostic factors. Among Stage II cancers, T3N0 cases have the highest cure rate and an overall survival pattern that more closely resembles T1N1 tumors. Several clinico-pathologic characteristics are significantly associated with survival and may explain some of the heterogeneity in outcomes among Stage II patients. These results suggest that T3N0 cases may be better classified as Stage IIA disease.

Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2008

Background. Thoracoscopic lobectomy is performed with increasing frequency for early-stage lung c... more Background. Thoracoscopic lobectomy is performed with increasing frequency for early-stage lung cancer. Several published reports suggest thoracoscopic resection is safe, with the potential advantage of shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery, and comparable oncologic results.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2007

Sensitivity and exposure to indoor allergens is associated with increased asthma morbidity in inn... more Sensitivity and exposure to indoor allergens is associated with increased asthma morbidity in inner-city children. However, it is unknown whether sensitization is associated with worse asthma in adults. To evaluate the relationship between sensitization and asthma morbidity in urban adults. We prospectively studied 245 adults with persistent asthma recruited from an inner-city clinic. Sensitization to indoor allergens was evaluated by specific IgE antibodies measured at enrollment. Data on asthma control, asthma-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and oral steroid use were collected at baseline and at 1-month and 3-month follow-up contacts. Univariate, stratified, and multiple regression analyses were used to compare asthma morbidity in sensitized and nonsensitized patients after controlling for self-reported exposure and other potential confounders. The study cohort consisted predominantly of low income, minority patients with high rates of resource utilization. The prevalences of sensitization to cockroach, dust mite, cat, mold, and mouse were 60%, 43%, 41%, 21%, and 14%. On univariate analyses, patients sensitized to each allergen did not have worse asthma control or higher resource utilization compared with nonsensitized individuals. Stratified and multivariate analyses also showed no association between sensitization and several measures of asthma morbidity even after controlling for self-reported exposure to indoor allergens and other potential confounders. Sensitization to indoor allergens does not appear to be associated with increased asthma morbidity in inner-city adults. These findings suggest that efforts to improve asthma control among urban populations should focus on other modifiable risk factors for morbidity.

Human Gene Therapy, 2002

To help define the safety profile of the use of adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors in humans, ... more To help define the safety profile of the use of adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors in humans, this report summarizes our experience since April 1993 of the local administration of E1(-)/E3(-) Ad vectors to humans using low (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;10(9) particle units) or intermediate (10(9)-10(11) particle units) doses. Included in the study are 90 individuals and 12 controls, with diverse comorbid conditions, including cystic fibrosis, colon cancer metastatic to liver, severe coronary artery disease, and peripheral vascular disease, as well as normals. These individuals received 140 different administrations of vector, with up to seven administrations to a single individual. The vectors used include three different transgenes (human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator cDNA, E. coli cytosine deaminase gene, and the human vascular endothelial growth factor 121 cDNA) administered by six different routes (nasal epithelium, bronchial epithelium, percutaneous to solid tumor, intradermal, epicardial injection of the myocardium, and skeletal muscle). The total population was followed for 130.4 patient-years. The study assesses adverse events, common laboratory tests, and long-term follow-up, including incidence of death or development of malignancy. The total group incidence of major adverse events linked to an Ad vector was 0.7%. There were no deaths attributable to the Ad vectors per se, and the incidence of malignancy was within that expected for the population. Overall, the observations are consistent with the concept that local administration of low and intermediate doses of Ad vectors appears to be well tolerated.

Medical Care, 2009

Patient-provider communication is essential for high-quality asthma care. The objective of this s... more Patient-provider communication is essential for high-quality asthma care. The objective of this study was to assess the potential relationship of language barriers with outcomes of inner-city asthmatics. We interviewed a prospective cohort of 318 adults with persistent asthma receiving care at 2 large inner-city clinics. Patients were classified into 3 groups according to their English proficiency; non-Hispanics (all native English speakers), Hispanics proficient in English, and Hispanics with limited English proficiency. Data on asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire), resource utilization, and asthma-related quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire) were collected at 1 and 3 months of enrollment. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to compare asthma morbidity and quality of life according to the patients&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; level of English proficiency. Overall, 44% of patients were non-Hispanics, 38% were Hispanics proficient in English, and 18% were Hispanics with limited English proficiency. Unadjusted, stratified, and multivariate analyses showed a significant association between limited proficiency and poorer asthma control, increased resource utilization, and lower quality of life scores after controlling for potential confounders (P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.05 for all comparisons). Additionally, limited English proficiency was associated with increased worries about side effects or becoming addicted to inhaled…

Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2008

Controversies regarding the safety, morbidity, and mortality of thoracoscopic lobectomy have prev... more Controversies regarding the safety, morbidity, and mortality of thoracoscopic lobectomy have prevented the widespread acceptance of the procedure. This series analyzed the safety, pain, analgesic use, and discharge disposition in patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy at a single institution. We collected data from 153 consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracic surgery) lobectomy and assessed the perioperative outcomes, postoperative pain, and chemotherapy course. A total of 111 of 127 patients with lung cancer had stage I non-small cell lung cancer. The operative technique required 2 ports and an access incision (5-8 cm), individual hilar ligation, and lymph node dissection performed without rib-spreading devices. There were 9 major complications (6%), including 1 perioperative death (0.7%). Conversion to thoracotomy occurred in 14 patients (9.2%). Blood transfusion was required in 11 patients (7%). The median chest tube time was 3 days, and the length of hospital stay was 4 days; 94.4% of patients went home at the time of discharge, and 5.6% of patients required a rehabilitation facility. At a median postsurgical follow-up time of 2 weeks, the mean postoperative pain score was 0.6 (0-3), 73% of patients did not use narcotics for pain control, and 47% of patients did not use any pain medication. Of patients receiving chemotherapy (N = 26), 73% completed a full course on schedule and 85% received all intended cycles. Thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracic surgery) lobectomy can be performed safely. Discharge independence and low pain estimates in the early postoperative period suggest that this approach may be beneficial. Furthermore, there is a trend toward improved tolerance of chemotherapy.

Important variations exist in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Because resection is t... more Important variations exist in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Because resection is the most effective treatment for patients with early disease, disparities in surgical rates can generate considerable differences in outcomes. We analyzed data from a national population-based registry to evaluate disparities in the treatment of Hispanic and white patients with stage I lung cancer and to assess the extent to which these inequalities explain survival differences. This study included 16,036 Hispanic and white patients with stage I lung cancer diagnosed between 1991 and 2000. Cases were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Survival was compared among white and Hispanics using Kaplan-Meier curves. Stratified survival curves and Cox regression were used to evaluate whether inequalities in stage (IA vs. IB) and resection could explain survival differences. Hispanics had worse overall and lung cancer-specific survival compared with whites (p = 0.04 and 0.008, respectively). Five-year lung cancer survival was 54% for Hispanics versus 62% for whites. Hispanics were more frequently diagnosed with stage IB disease (p = 0.0002) and less likely to undergo resection (p = 0.03). Among resected patients, survival was similar for the two groups, as it was among those who did not undergo unresection. After adjusting for surgery and stage, there was no difference in survival between groups. Hispanics with stage I lung cancer had worse survival as compared with whites. These disparities are largely explained by lower rates of resection and higher probability of diagnosis at stage IB. Future work must delineate why Hispanics are receiving less surgery.

Cancer, 2008

BACKGROUNDThe presence of lymph node (LN) metastases in esophageal cancer has important prognosti... more BACKGROUNDThe presence of lymph node (LN) metastases in esophageal cancer has important prognostic and treatment implications. However, the optimal number of LNs that should be examined for accurate staging is controversial. In the current study, the association between survival and the number of LNs evaluated was examined in patients who underwent resection of lymph node-negative (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] TNM stage I-IIA) esophageal cancer.The presence of lymph node (LN) metastases in esophageal cancer has important prognostic and treatment implications. However, the optimal number of LNs that should be examined for accurate staging is controversial. In the current study, the association between survival and the number of LNs evaluated was examined in patients who underwent resection of lymph node-negative (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] TNM stage I-IIA) esophageal cancer.METHODSAll patients were identified who underwent surgery for lymph node-negative esophageal cancer between 1988 and 2003 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry. Patients were classified into 3 groups by the number of negative LNs sampled during surgery (≤10 LNs, 11-17 LNs, and ≥18 LNs). Esophageal cancer-specific survival was compared among these LN groups using Kaplan-Meier curves. Stratified and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between survival and the number of negative LNs after adjusting for potential confounders.All patients were identified who underwent surgery for lymph node-negative esophageal cancer between 1988 and 2003 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry. Patients were classified into 3 groups by the number of negative LNs sampled during surgery (≤10 LNs, 11-17 LNs, and ≥18 LNs). Esophageal cancer-specific survival was compared among these LN groups using Kaplan-Meier curves. Stratified and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between survival and the number of negative LNs after adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTSA total of 972 patients were included in the study. Disease-specific survival rates increased with a higher number of negative LNs. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 55% among patients with ≤10 negative LNs, compared with 66% and 75%, respectively, for those with 11 to 17 negative LNs and ≥18 negative LNs. The number of negative LNs was found to be significantly associated with survival in analyses stratified by tumor status. On multivariate regression controlling for age, race/ethnicity, sex, histology, tumor status, and postoperative radiotherapy, a higher number of negative LNs was found to be independently associated with higher disease-specific survival.A total of 972 patients were included in the study. Disease-specific survival rates increased with a higher number of negative LNs. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 55% among patients with ≤10 negative LNs, compared with 66% and 75%, respectively, for those with 11 to 17 negative LNs and ≥18 negative LNs. The number of negative LNs was found to be significantly associated with survival in analyses stratified by tumor status. On multivariate regression controlling for age, race/ethnicity, sex, histology, tumor status, and postoperative radiotherapy, a higher number of negative LNs was found to be independently associated with higher disease-specific survival.CONCLUSIONSThe presence of LN metastases in patients with esophageal cancer appears to have important prognostic and treatment implications. Data from the current study suggest that patients undergoing surgical resection for esophageal cancer should have at least 18 LNs removed. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.The presence of LN metastases in patients with esophageal cancer appears to have important prognostic and treatment implications. Data from the current study suggest that patients undergoing surgical resection for esophageal cancer should have at least 18 LNs removed. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

Journal of The American College of Surgeons, 2008

BMC Emergency Medicine, 2007

Background: Dyspnea is a common chief complaint in the emergency department (ED); differentiating... more Background: Dyspnea is a common chief complaint in the emergency department (ED); differentiating heart failure (HF) from other causes can be challenging. Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is a new diagnostic test for HF for use in dyspneic patients in the ED. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the accuracy of BNP in the emergency diagnosis of HF.

Human Gene Therapy, 2002

In this study we analyze the adverse events and abnormal laboratory parameters following local ad... more In this study we analyze the adverse events and abnormal laboratory parameters following local administration of low (,10 9 particle units) and intermediate (10 9 -10 11 particle units) single and repetitive doses (140 total) of E1 2 E3 2 adenovirus (Ad) gene transfer vectors administered to the respiratory epithelium, solid tumors, skin, myocardium, and skeletal muscle in eight gene transfer trials since April 1993. In the accompanying paper by Harvey et al., (Hum. Gene Ther. 2002; 13:15-63), we conclude that for the total group, no deaths were attributable to the Ad vectors per se, and the incidence of major adverse events likely caused by an Ad vector was 0.7%. The present study analyzes the trials as a group to evaluate risk factors for the adverse events, abnormal values among laboratory parameters, and known deaths. Ten putative risk factors were assessed, including "patient-related" (age, sex, comorbid index and pretherapy anti-Ad antibodies), "vector-related" (dose, route, transgene, and number of vector administrations), and "trial-related" (trial in which the individual was enrolled, and whether surgery was part of the trial). While assessment of each factor individually suggested several possible associations with adverse events, abnormal laboratory parameters, or deaths, multivariate analysis identified only age, comorbid index, and surgery (comorbid index for death; age and surgery for nondeath adverse events) as variables significantly associated with increased risk for a major (severity scale 3-4 of 4) adverse event for individuals enrolled in these gene transfer trials. Importantly, multivariate analysis suggested that vector-related parameters, including dose, route, transgene, or number of vector administrations at the doses and routes evaluated in these studies, do not appear to be significant risk factors for a major adverse event. With the caveat that these are phase I, uncontrolled trials, we conclude that (1) there is no definitive risk factor that will clearly predict a major adverse outcome resulting from lo-

Lung Cancer, 2003

Purpose: To assess the genuineness and curability of diagnosed cases of Stage IA non-small-cell l... more Purpose: To assess the genuineness and curability of diagnosed cases of Stage IA non-small-cell lung cancer of diameter 6 Á/15 mm, with a view to screen-diagnosed asymptomatic cases. Methods: We identified all cases of diagnosed Stage IA (T1N0M0) primary non-small-cell lung cancer documented in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry in 1988 Á/1994. There were 885 such cases of diameter 6 Á/15 mm, 33 of them unresected, 1659 of diameter 16 Á/25 mm, and 782 of diameter 26 Á/30 mm. We determined the 8-year cumulative lung-cancer death rates adjusted for competing causes of death, separately for untreated and fully resected cases. Given the relative underdetection of lymph node metastases of the untreated cases, we also documented the case-fatality rates for the resected with inclusion of those with detected intra-pulmonary, hilar or ipsilateral mediastinal lymph node metastases. Results: The 8-year fatality rate for the diagnosed but untreated cases of lung cancer 6 Á/15 mm in diameter was 87%, for 16 Á/25 mm it was 94%, and for 26 Á/30 mm it was 88%. The corresponding estimates of cure rates with resection were 71, 67, and 55%, respectively. The cure rate estimate for the smallest cancers was 66% when adding those with detected lymph node metastases to the resected series, for those 16 Á/25 mm in diameter it was 65%, and for those 26 Á/30 mm in diameter it was 51%. Conclusion: Almost all diagnosed cases of Stage IA lung cancer as small as 10 mm in diameter have a malignant natural course, fatal if not treated, thus representing genuine cancer. Most of these cases are curable by resection. #

Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2003

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care fro... more OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care from an inpatient to an outpatient setting, and to determine if there is an association between these medical errors and adverse outcomes. PATIENTS: Eighty-six patients who had been hospitalized on the medicine service at a large academic medical center and who were subsequently seen by their primary care physicians at the affiliated outpatient practice within 2 months after discharge. DESIGN: Each patient’s inpatient and outpatient medical record was reviewed for the presence of 3 types of errors related to the discontinuity of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting: medication continuity errors, test follow-up errors, and work-up errors. MEASUREMENTS: Rehospitalizations within 3 months after the initial postdischarge outpatient primary care visit. MAIN RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of patients experienced at least 1 medical error. Patients with a work-up error were 6.2 times (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3 to 30.3) more likely to be rehospitalized within 3 months after the first outpatient visit. We did not find a statistically significant association between medication continuity errors (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95%CI, 0.7 to 8.8) and test follow-up errors (OR, 2.4; 95%CI, 0.3 to 17.1) with rehospitalizations. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting is high and may be associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization.

Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2009

Background Elderly patients with early-stage lung cancer are less likely to undergo tumor resecti... more Background Elderly patients with early-stage lung cancer are less likely to undergo tumor resection because of concerns about their ability to tolerate surgery or perceived limited life expectancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of age and competing risks on outcomes of elderly patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods We identified 27,859 cases of histologically confirmed, stage I NSCLC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Patients were grouped by age (<60, 61–69, 70–79, ≥80 years) and surgical resection status. Relative survival rates were compared amongst treatment groups by age strata to determine the potential impact of surgery and the contribution of competing risks to overall mortality. Results Patients aged <60, 61–69, 70–79, and ≥80 years represented 20%, 32%, 37%, and 11% of cases. The rate of surgical resections declined from 95% of patients <60 years, to 79% of patients aged ≥80 years. While 5-year relative survival rates were somewhat lower among males ≥80 years compared with those <60 years (63.5% versus 69.2%), there were no significant differences in relative survival among resected women or unresected patients, regardless of sex. Most deaths in unresected patients were attributed to lung cancer across all age groups. Conclusions Elderly patients who undergo resection achieve relative survival rates that are comparable to their younger counterparts. In unresected patients, lung cancer is the major source of mortality, even in the oldest age groups, suggesting that elderly patients with stage I lung cancer should receive aggressive surgical management when possible.

Human Gene Therapy, 1999

Adenovirus (Ad) vectors used for gene therapy are efficient in entering the infected cell and tar... more Adenovirus (Ad) vectors used for gene therapy are efficient in entering the infected cell and targeting their genome to the nucleus. To study the mechanism of the interaction between Ad and the nuclear envelope we have established an in vitro assay using rat liver nuclei incubated with serotype 5 Ad vector. Binding of either fluorophore (Cy3)-labeled Ad5 (Cy3-AdGFP) or [3H]Ad5 was blocked by excess unlabeled Ad5, indicating that the interaction was specific. Binding reached equilibrium within 30 min, exhibited temperature dependence with more binding occurring at 37 degrees C than at 4 degrees C and appeared to be irreversible. Prior treatment of nuclei with glutaraldehyde or proteolysis of nuclei with trypsin inhibited the Cy3-AdGFP association with nuclei, and pretreatment of Cy3-AdGFP with human anti-Ad5 serum, but not naive human serum, inhibited Cy3-AdGFP, suggesting a requirement for direct interaction between Ad5 and nuclei. Addition of excess unlabeled Ad serotype 2 or Ad serotype 7 competed for binding with Cy3-AdGFP, indicating that the capsid determinant of nuclear binding was conserved among group B and C Ad serotypes. These data suggest that the Ad capsid and nuclear envelope contain specific domains that mediate binding of the two entities and that binding mechanisms to the nuclear envelope might be a common final pathway of different Ad serotypes.

Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2009

Thirty-one patients underwent segmentectomy and 113 underwent lobectomy. Patients after segmentec... more Thirty-one patients underwent segmentectomy and 113 underwent lobectomy. Patients after segmentectomy had worse mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second than after lobectomy (83% vs 92%, P = .04). There were no differences in mean number of nodes (10) and ...

Archives of Internal Medicine, 2005

Background: Current guidelines for the control of nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis (TB) re... more Background: Current guidelines for the control of nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis (TB) recommend respiratory isolation for all patients with suspected TB. Application of these guidelines has resulted in many patients without TB being isolated on admission to the hospital, significantly increasing hospital costs. This study was conducted to prospectively validate a clinical decision rule to predict the need for respiratory isolation in inpatients with suspected TB.

Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2010

Background. Pneumonectomy is associated with a significant incidence of perioperative morbidity a... more Background. Pneumonectomy is associated with a significant incidence of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors responsible for adverse outcomes in patients after pneumonectomy utilizing The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTDB).

Archives of Internal Medicine, 2000

Respiratory isolation has been recommended for all patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) to a... more Respiratory isolation has been recommended for all patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) to avoid transmission to other patients and health care personnel. In implementing these guidelines, patients with and without TB are frequently isolated, significantly increasing hospital costs. The objective of this study was to derive a clinical rule to predict the need for respiratory isolation of patients with suspected TB. To identify potential predictors of the need for isolation, 56 inpatients with sputum cultures positive for TB were retrospectively compared with 56 controls who were isolated on admission to the hospital based on clinically suspected TB but whose sputum cultures tested negative for TB. Variables analyzed included TB risk factors, clinical symptoms, and findings from physical examination and chest radiography. Multivariate analysis revealed that the following factors were significantly associated with a culture positive for TB: presence of TB risk factors or symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 7.9 [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.4-24.2]), a positive purified protein derivative tuberculin test result (OR, 13.2 [95% CI, 4.4-40.7]), high temperature (OR, 2.8 [95% CI, 1.1-8.3]), and upper-lobe disease on chest radiograph (OR, 14.6 [95% CI, 3.7-57.5]). Shortness of breath (OR, 0.2 [95% CI, 0.12-0.53]) and crackles noted during the physical examination (OR, 0.29 [95% CI, 0.15-0.57]) were negative predictors of TB. A scoring system was developed using these variables. A patient&amp;amp;#39;s total score of 1 or higher indicated the need for respiratory isolation, accurately predicting a culture positive for TB (98% sensitivity [95% CI, 95%-100%]; 46% specificity [95% CI, 33%-59%]). Among inpatients with suspected active pulmonary TB, a prediction rule based on clinical and chest radiographic findings accurately identified patients requiring respiratory isolation.

Seminars in Ultrasound Ct and Mri, 2000

A wide variety of diagnostic tests are available to evaluate solitary pulmonary nodules, ranging ... more A wide variety of diagnostic tests are available to evaluate solitary pulmonary nodules, ranging from noninvasive to invasive. Given the virulence of lung cancer, those techniques that can provide cytological and pathological information are often chosen. However, the choice of which procedure to perform is complicated by numerous factors, including the sensitivity and specificity of the test, as well as the prevalence of disease. Additional considerations also include complications, availability and expertise in performing procedures, and overall cost of the diagnostic algorithm. Rather than make specific recommendations for diagnostic workup, it is more appropriate to consider that this will vary from institution to institution based on the above factors.

Lung Cancer, 2005

To evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor and node status among patients with Stage II non... more To evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor and node status among patients with Stage II non-small cell lung cancer using a population-based national database. We identified all primary cases of Stage II non-small cell lung cancer diagnosed prior to autopsy from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. Lung cancer-specific survival curves were obtained for the 5254 patients who had curative surgical resection, stratifying for tumor and node status (T1-2N1M0, T3N0M0). The 12.5-year Kaplan-Meier estimator of survival was used as a measure of lung cancer cure rate. The influence of gender, age, cell type, pathologic tumor status, nodal metastasis, surgical method, and post-operative radiation therapy were evaluated using Cox regression. Survival was better for T1N1 cases during the first 3--4 years after diagnosis. Five-year survival for T1N1 and T3N0 cases however, was not significantly different (46% versus 48%, p=0.4) and the cure rate was somewhat higher for T3N0 cases (33% versus to 27%, p=0.10). T2N1 cases had the worst overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that gender, age, tumor and nodal status, and histology were independent prognostic factors. Among Stage II cancers, T3N0 cases have the highest cure rate and an overall survival pattern that more closely resembles T1N1 tumors. Several clinico-pathologic characteristics are significantly associated with survival and may explain some of the heterogeneity in outcomes among Stage II patients. These results suggest that T3N0 cases may be better classified as Stage IIA disease.