Xuerong Wen - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Xuerong Wen

Research paper thumbnail of Optimal sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, Jun 1, 2007

Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimen... more Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors. Ann. Statist. 30, 475-497]) extended the scope of sufficient dimension reduction to regressions with both continuous and categorical predictors, its requirement of homogeneous predictor covariances across the subpopulations restricts its application in practice. When this condition fails, partial SIR may provide misleading results. In this article, we propose a new estimation method via a minimum discrepancy approach without this restriction. Our method is optimal in terms of asymptotic efficiency and its test statistic for testing the dimension of the partial central subspace always has an asymptotic chi-squared distribution. It also gives us the ability to test predictor effects. An asymptotic chi-squared test of the conditional independence hypothesis that the response is independent of a selected subset of the continuous predictors given the remaining predictors is obtained.

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of the Addition of Allopurinol on Blood Pressure Control in African Americans Treated With a Thiazide-like Diuretic

Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, 2015

We tested the hypothesis that xanthine oxidase inhibition among African Americans receiving the t... more We tested the hypothesis that xanthine oxidase inhibition among African Americans receiving the thiazide-type diuretic chlorthalidone may improve blood pressure control with fewer hyperuricemia-related side effects. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of African Americans with Stage 1 hypertension without clinically significant renal disease. One hundred fifty African American men or women between the ages of 18 and 65 years who met the exclusion/inclusion criteria with untreated or treated hypertension were started on chlorthalidone (25 mg/d) and potassium chloride. After a 5-week run-in on chlorthalidone, baseline testing was performed and they were randomized to allopurinol (300 mg/dL) or placebo with doses adjusted based on uric acid levels and followed for 8 weeks. One hundred ten subjects completed the study. Baseline systolic blood pressures after the 5-week chlorthalidone run-in were 119.9 ± 13.6 in the allopurinol group and 117 ± 11.2 in the placebo group indicating excellent blood pressure control with the single agent. After at least 4 week postrandomization, the difference in mean change in systolic blood pressure in allopurinol less placebo from visits 5 to 3 was 4.3 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -0.2 to 8.7; P = .059). The difference in mean change in uric acid levels over the same period was 2.1 mg/dL (95% confidence interval, 1.7-2.6; P < .001). The use of chlorthalidone with or without allopurinol resulted in excellent blood pressure control. The addition of allopurinol tended to improve clinic blood pressure, but the difference from the group receiving chlorthalidone alone was not statistically significant.

Research paper thumbnail of Optimal sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, 2007

Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimen... more Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors. Ann. Statist. 30, 475-497]) extended the scope of sufficient dimension reduction to regressions with both continuous and categorical predictors, its requirement of homogeneous predictor covariances across the subpopulations restricts its application in practice. When this condition fails, partial SIR may provide misleading results. In this article, we propose a new estimation method via a minimum discrepancy approach without this restriction. Our method is optimal in terms of asymptotic efficiency and its test statistic for testing the dimension of the partial central subspace always has an asymptotic chi-squared distribution. It also gives us the ability to test predictor effects. An asymptotic chi-squared test of the conditional independence hypothesis that the response is independent of a selected subset of the continuous predictors given the remaining predictors is obtained.

Research paper thumbnail of New approaches to model-free dimension reduction for bivariate regression

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, 2009

Dimension reduction with bivariate responses, especially a mix of a continuous and categorical re... more Dimension reduction with bivariate responses, especially a mix of a continuous and categorical responses, can be of special interest. One immediate application is to regressions with censoring. In this paper, we propose two novel methods to reduce the dimension of the covariates of a bivariate regression via a model-free approach. Both methods enjoy a simple asymptotic chi-squared distribution for testing

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of donor obesity and donation after cardiac death on outcomes after kidney transplantation

Clinical Transplantation, 2012

The effect of donor body mass index (BMI) and donor type on kidney transplant outcomes has not be... more The effect of donor body mass index (BMI) and donor type on kidney transplant outcomes has not been well studied. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data on recipients of deceased-donor kidneys between 1997 and 2010 were reviewed. Donors were categorized by DCD status (DCD, 6932; non-DCD, 90,158) and BMI groups at 5 kg/m(2) increments: 18.5-24.9, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, 35-39.9, 40-44.9, and ≥ 45 kg/m(2) . The primary outcome, death-censored graft survival (DCGS), was adjusted for donor, recipient, and transplant characteristics. Among recipients of non-DCD kidneys, donor BMI was not associated with DCGS. Among DCD recipients, donor BMI was not associated with DCGS for donor BMI categories < 45 kg/m(2) ; however, donor BMI ≥ 45 kg/m(2) was independently associated with DCGS compared to BMI of 20-24.9 kg/m(2) (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.23, 2.74). The adjusted odds of delayed graft function (DGF) was greater for each level of BMI above reference for both DCD and non-DCD groups. There was no association of donor BMI with one-yr acute rejection for either type of donor. Although BMI is associated with DGF, long-term graft survival is not affected except in the combination of DCD with extreme donor BMI ≥ 45.

Research paper thumbnail of Comment on "Sirolimus use and risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs)

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Abstract 20055: Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphism in Women with Suspected Ischemia: A Report from the NHLBI-sponsored WISE

Circulation, Nov 23, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Efficacy and safety of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors during elective coronary revascularization: a meta-analysis of randomized trials performed in the era of stents and thienopyridines

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Mar 1, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of Utilization and Clinical Outcomes for Belatacept- and Tacrolimus- Based Immunosuppression in Renal Transplant Recipients

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Jan 3, 2016

The performance of belatacept in a real clinical setting has not been reported. A retrospective c... more The performance of belatacept in a real clinical setting has not been reported. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using registry data comparing one-year clinical outcomes between belatacept- and tacrolimus-treated adult kidney transplant recipients (KTR) from 6.1.2011 through 12.1.2014. Of 50 244 total patients, 417 received belatacept+tacrolimus, 458 received belatacept alone, and 49 369 received tacrolimus alone at discharge. In the overall study cohort, belatacept alone was associated with a higher risk for one-year acute rejection, with highest rates associated with non-lymphocyte depleting (LD) induction (aHR: 2.65; 95%CI: 1.90-3.70, P<.0001). There was no significant difference in rejection rates between belatacept+tacrolimus and tacrolimus alone. In KTR meeting inclusion criteria for the BENEFIT-EXT trial, one-year kidney function was higher with belatacept+tacrolimus and belatacept alone versus tacrolimus alone groups (mean eGFR: 65.6 vs 60.4 vs 54.3 ml/min/1.73M...

Research paper thumbnail of Abstract 15236: Intracoronary Bolus Administration of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors is Beneficial During PCI for Acute Coronary Syndromes: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Circulation, Nov 22, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Long-Term Type I Interferon on the Arterial Wall and Smooth Muscle Progenitor Cells Differentiation

Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, Jan 3, 2015

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosis are at risk for premature atherosclerosis and half of ... more Patients with systemic lupus erythematosis are at risk for premature atherosclerosis and half of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosis have elevated type I interferon (IFN-I) levels. We hypothesized that IFN-I would induce premature atherosclerosis by increasing the number of smooth muscle progenitor cells (SMPC) in the bloodstream and promoting atherosclerotic lesions within the vasculature. SMPC isolated from wild-type and IFN receptor knockout animals were cultured in medium±IFN-I. In vivo, we used electroporation to generate stable IFN-I expression for as long as 4 months. The number of SMPC was determined in mice that expressed IFN-I and in control mice and sections from the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta were analyzed 3 months after electroporation of an IFN-I expression plasmid or a control plasmid. Adding IFN-I to the media increased the number of cultured wild-type SMPC and increased mRNA for SM22, but had no effect on SMPC isolated from IFN receptor knockout m...

Research paper thumbnail of Complete versus culprit-only revascularization for patients with multi-vessel disease undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: An updated meta-analysis of randomized trials

Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions : official journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions, Jan 3, 2015

To perform an updated meta-analysis to determine whether complete revascularization of significan... more To perform an updated meta-analysis to determine whether complete revascularization of significant coronary lesions at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) would be associated with better outcomes compared with culprit-only revascularization. Individual trials have demonstrated conflicting evidence regarding the optimum revascularization strategy at the time of primary PCI. Clinical trials that randomized ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with multi-vessel disease to a complete versus culprit-only revascularization strategy were included. Random effects summary risk ratios (RR) were constructed using a DerSimonian-Laird model. The primary outcome of interest was mortality or myocardial infarction (MI). A total of seven trials with 1,939 patients were included in the analysis. Compared with culprit-only revascularization, complete revascularization was associated with a non-significant reduction in the risk of mortality or MI (RR 0.69, 95% co...

Research paper thumbnail of TCT-226 Complete versus culprit-only revascularization in patients with multi-vessel coronary disease undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: An updated meta-analysis of randomized trials

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Survival With Dialysis Versus Kidney Transplantation in Adult Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Patients: A Fifteen-Year Study of the Waiting List

Transplantation, Jan 4, 2015

Survival data are lacking for kidney transplant recipients with rare native end-stage renal disea... more Survival data are lacking for kidney transplant recipients with rare native end-stage renal disease (ESRD) etiologies. There is currently no large registry study comparing dialysis versus kidney transplantation survival outcomes of waitlisted adults with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). We retrospectively studied adult-HUS end-stage renal disease patients (n = 559) placed on the US kidney transplant waitlist in 1996 to 2011. We analyzed 5-year transplantation and patient survival probabilities and risk factors using Kaplan-Meier and Cox hazards models, respectively. Using similar models, waitlist and transplantation outcomes of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), and glomerulonephritis (GN) were analyzed, and then compared with HUS patients. Compared with waitlisted adult HUS patients on dialysis, 5-year mortality risks were 73% and 48% lower in recipients of living (hazard ratio [HR], 0.27, 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.11-0.65) and standard deceased (HR...

Research paper thumbnail of Antiepileptic drug use by pregnant women enrolled in Florida Medicaid

Neurology, Jan 3, 2015

The study aims were to investigate secular trends in antiepileptic drug (AED) use in women during... more The study aims were to investigate secular trends in antiepileptic drug (AED) use in women during pregnancy, and to compare the use of first- and second-generation AEDs. Study participants consisted of female Florida Medicaid beneficiaries, older than 15 years, and pregnant within the time period 1999 to 2009. Fifteen AEDs were categorized into first and second generation of AEDs. Continuous use of AEDs was defined as at least 2 consecutive AED prescriptions totaling more than a 30-day supply. Polytherapy was defined as 2 or more AEDs continuously used for at least 30 overlapping days. Annual prevalence was estimated and compared. We included 2,099 pregnant women who were enrolled in Florida Medicaid from 1999 to 2009 and exposed to AEDs during pregnancy. Although there were fluctuations, overall AED use in the study cohort did not increase from 2000 to 2009 (β ± standard error [SE]: -0.07 ± 0.06, p = 0.31). The use of first-generation AEDs decreased (β ± SE: -6.21 ± 0.47, p < 0....

Research paper thumbnail of Solaris orders Ballard fuel cell modules for latest European buses

Research paper thumbnail of Mild renal dysfunction and long-term adverse outcomes in women with chest pain: Results from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE)

American Heart Journal, 2015

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and advers... more Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that mild CKD independently predicts adverse outcomes in women with symptoms and signs of ischemia.

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of different tacrolimus levels on early outcomes after kidney transplantation

Annals of transplantation : quarterly of the Polish Transplantation Society, 2014

There is a paucity of modern data on the impact of high tacrolimus levels early after kidney tran... more There is a paucity of modern data on the impact of high tacrolimus levels early after kidney transplantation. This study analyzed the impact of various trough levels of tacrolimus in the first 2 weeks post-transplant on rates of delayed graft function (DGF), length of stay (LoS), hyperkalemia, hyperglycemia, and biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) rates in the first 3 months post-transplant in a retrospective single-center cohort of patients. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the average of two highest 12-hour trough tacrolimus levels: <10 ng/mL, 10-12 ng/mL, 12-15 ng/mL, >15 ng/mL. The incidence of DGF was noted to be significantly higher in the <10 ng/mL, >15 ng/mL and the 12-15 ng/mL tacrolimus groups as compared to the 10-12 ng/mL group (49%, 25% and 4%, respectively, p≤0.0001). Mean LoS was also noted to be significantly higher in the >15 ng/mL tacrolimus group as compared to the 10-12 ng/mL group (7.4 days and 6.1 days respectively, p=0.0007). There ...

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking the Advantage of Zero-HLA Mismatches in Unrelated Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Implications on Kidney Paired Donation

Transplant International, 2014

The OPTN/UNOS Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Pilot Program allocates priority to zero-HLA mismatche... more The OPTN/UNOS Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Pilot Program allocates priority to zero-HLA mismatches. However, in unrelated living donor kidney transplants (LDKT)-the same donor source in KPD-no study has shown whether zero-HLA mismatches provide any advantage over &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0 HLA mismatches. We hypothesize that zero-HLA mismatches among unrelated LDKT do not benefit graft survival. This retrospective SRTR database study analyzed LDKT recipients from 1987 to 2012. Among unrelated LDKT, subjects with zero-HLA mismatches were compared to a 1:1-5 matched (by donor age ±1 year and year of transplantation) control cohort with &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0 HLA mismatches. The primary endpoint was death-censored graft survival. Among 32,654 unrelated LDKT recipients, 83 had zero-HLA mismatches and were matched to 407 controls with &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0 HLA mismatches. Kaplan-Meier analyses for death-censored graft and patient survival showed no difference between study and control cohorts. In multivariate marginal Cox models, zero-HLA mismatches saw no benefit with death-censored graft survival (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 0.78-2.73) or patient survival (HR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.68-3.01). Our data suggest that in unrelated LDKT, zero-HLA mismatches may not offer any survival advantage. Therefore, particular study of zero-HLA mismatching is needed to validate its place in the OPTN/UNOS KPD Pilot Program allocation algorithm.

Research paper thumbnail of Number and Function of Bone-Marrow Derived Angiogenic Cells and Coronary Flow Reserve in Women without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Substudy of the NHLBI-Sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE)

Background: In women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease, the Women's Ischem... more Background: In women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease, the Women's Ischemic Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) observed that microvascular coronary dysfunction (MCD) is the best independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. Since coronary microvascular tone is regulated in part by endothelium, we hypothesized that circulating endothelial cells (CEC), which reflect endothelial injury, and the number and function of bone-marrow derived angiogenic cells (BMDAC), which could help repair damaged endothelium, may serve as biomarkers for decreased coronary flow reserve (CFR) and MCD.

Research paper thumbnail of Optimal sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, Jun 1, 2007

Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimen... more Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors. Ann. Statist. 30, 475-497]) extended the scope of sufficient dimension reduction to regressions with both continuous and categorical predictors, its requirement of homogeneous predictor covariances across the subpopulations restricts its application in practice. When this condition fails, partial SIR may provide misleading results. In this article, we propose a new estimation method via a minimum discrepancy approach without this restriction. Our method is optimal in terms of asymptotic efficiency and its test statistic for testing the dimension of the partial central subspace always has an asymptotic chi-squared distribution. It also gives us the ability to test predictor effects. An asymptotic chi-squared test of the conditional independence hypothesis that the response is independent of a selected subset of the continuous predictors given the remaining predictors is obtained.

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of the Addition of Allopurinol on Blood Pressure Control in African Americans Treated With a Thiazide-like Diuretic

Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, 2015

We tested the hypothesis that xanthine oxidase inhibition among African Americans receiving the t... more We tested the hypothesis that xanthine oxidase inhibition among African Americans receiving the thiazide-type diuretic chlorthalidone may improve blood pressure control with fewer hyperuricemia-related side effects. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of African Americans with Stage 1 hypertension without clinically significant renal disease. One hundred fifty African American men or women between the ages of 18 and 65 years who met the exclusion/inclusion criteria with untreated or treated hypertension were started on chlorthalidone (25 mg/d) and potassium chloride. After a 5-week run-in on chlorthalidone, baseline testing was performed and they were randomized to allopurinol (300 mg/dL) or placebo with doses adjusted based on uric acid levels and followed for 8 weeks. One hundred ten subjects completed the study. Baseline systolic blood pressures after the 5-week chlorthalidone run-in were 119.9 ± 13.6 in the allopurinol group and 117 ± 11.2 in the placebo group indicating excellent blood pressure control with the single agent. After at least 4 week postrandomization, the difference in mean change in systolic blood pressure in allopurinol less placebo from visits 5 to 3 was 4.3 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -0.2 to 8.7; P = .059). The difference in mean change in uric acid levels over the same period was 2.1 mg/dL (95% confidence interval, 1.7-2.6; 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;lt; .001). The use of chlorthalidone with or without allopurinol resulted in excellent blood pressure control. The addition of allopurinol tended to improve clinic blood pressure, but the difference from the group receiving chlorthalidone alone was not statistically significant.

Research paper thumbnail of Optimal sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, 2007

Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimen... more Though partial sliced inverse regression (partial SIR: Chiaromonte et al. [2002. Sufficient dimension reduction in regressions with categorical predictors. Ann. Statist. 30, 475-497]) extended the scope of sufficient dimension reduction to regressions with both continuous and categorical predictors, its requirement of homogeneous predictor covariances across the subpopulations restricts its application in practice. When this condition fails, partial SIR may provide misleading results. In this article, we propose a new estimation method via a minimum discrepancy approach without this restriction. Our method is optimal in terms of asymptotic efficiency and its test statistic for testing the dimension of the partial central subspace always has an asymptotic chi-squared distribution. It also gives us the ability to test predictor effects. An asymptotic chi-squared test of the conditional independence hypothesis that the response is independent of a selected subset of the continuous predictors given the remaining predictors is obtained.

Research paper thumbnail of New approaches to model-free dimension reduction for bivariate regression

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, 2009

Dimension reduction with bivariate responses, especially a mix of a continuous and categorical re... more Dimension reduction with bivariate responses, especially a mix of a continuous and categorical responses, can be of special interest. One immediate application is to regressions with censoring. In this paper, we propose two novel methods to reduce the dimension of the covariates of a bivariate regression via a model-free approach. Both methods enjoy a simple asymptotic chi-squared distribution for testing

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of donor obesity and donation after cardiac death on outcomes after kidney transplantation

Clinical Transplantation, 2012

The effect of donor body mass index (BMI) and donor type on kidney transplant outcomes has not be... more The effect of donor body mass index (BMI) and donor type on kidney transplant outcomes has not been well studied. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data on recipients of deceased-donor kidneys between 1997 and 2010 were reviewed. Donors were categorized by DCD status (DCD, 6932; non-DCD, 90,158) and BMI groups at 5 kg/m(2) increments: 18.5-24.9, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, 35-39.9, 40-44.9, and ≥ 45 kg/m(2) . The primary outcome, death-censored graft survival (DCGS), was adjusted for donor, recipient, and transplant characteristics. Among recipients of non-DCD kidneys, donor BMI was not associated with DCGS. Among DCD recipients, donor BMI was not associated with DCGS for donor BMI categories &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;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; 45 kg/m(2) ; however, donor BMI ≥ 45 kg/m(2) was independently associated with DCGS compared to BMI of 20-24.9 kg/m(2) (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.23, 2.74). The adjusted odds of delayed graft function (DGF) was greater for each level of BMI above reference for both DCD and non-DCD groups. There was no association of donor BMI with one-yr acute rejection for either type of donor. Although BMI is associated with DGF, long-term graft survival is not affected except in the combination of DCD with extreme donor BMI ≥ 45.

Research paper thumbnail of Comment on "Sirolimus use and risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs)

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Abstract 20055: Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphism in Women with Suspected Ischemia: A Report from the NHLBI-sponsored WISE

Circulation, Nov 23, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Efficacy and safety of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors during elective coronary revascularization: a meta-analysis of randomized trials performed in the era of stents and thienopyridines

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Mar 1, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of Utilization and Clinical Outcomes for Belatacept- and Tacrolimus- Based Immunosuppression in Renal Transplant Recipients

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Jan 3, 2016

The performance of belatacept in a real clinical setting has not been reported. A retrospective c... more The performance of belatacept in a real clinical setting has not been reported. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using registry data comparing one-year clinical outcomes between belatacept- and tacrolimus-treated adult kidney transplant recipients (KTR) from 6.1.2011 through 12.1.2014. Of 50 244 total patients, 417 received belatacept+tacrolimus, 458 received belatacept alone, and 49 369 received tacrolimus alone at discharge. In the overall study cohort, belatacept alone was associated with a higher risk for one-year acute rejection, with highest rates associated with non-lymphocyte depleting (LD) induction (aHR: 2.65; 95%CI: 1.90-3.70, P<.0001). There was no significant difference in rejection rates between belatacept+tacrolimus and tacrolimus alone. In KTR meeting inclusion criteria for the BENEFIT-EXT trial, one-year kidney function was higher with belatacept+tacrolimus and belatacept alone versus tacrolimus alone groups (mean eGFR: 65.6 vs 60.4 vs 54.3 ml/min/1.73M...

Research paper thumbnail of Abstract 15236: Intracoronary Bolus Administration of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors is Beneficial During PCI for Acute Coronary Syndromes: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Circulation, Nov 22, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Long-Term Type I Interferon on the Arterial Wall and Smooth Muscle Progenitor Cells Differentiation

Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, Jan 3, 2015

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosis are at risk for premature atherosclerosis and half of ... more Patients with systemic lupus erythematosis are at risk for premature atherosclerosis and half of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosis have elevated type I interferon (IFN-I) levels. We hypothesized that IFN-I would induce premature atherosclerosis by increasing the number of smooth muscle progenitor cells (SMPC) in the bloodstream and promoting atherosclerotic lesions within the vasculature. SMPC isolated from wild-type and IFN receptor knockout animals were cultured in medium±IFN-I. In vivo, we used electroporation to generate stable IFN-I expression for as long as 4 months. The number of SMPC was determined in mice that expressed IFN-I and in control mice and sections from the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta were analyzed 3 months after electroporation of an IFN-I expression plasmid or a control plasmid. Adding IFN-I to the media increased the number of cultured wild-type SMPC and increased mRNA for SM22, but had no effect on SMPC isolated from IFN receptor knockout m...

Research paper thumbnail of Complete versus culprit-only revascularization for patients with multi-vessel disease undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: An updated meta-analysis of randomized trials

Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions : official journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions, Jan 3, 2015

To perform an updated meta-analysis to determine whether complete revascularization of significan... more To perform an updated meta-analysis to determine whether complete revascularization of significant coronary lesions at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) would be associated with better outcomes compared with culprit-only revascularization. Individual trials have demonstrated conflicting evidence regarding the optimum revascularization strategy at the time of primary PCI. Clinical trials that randomized ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with multi-vessel disease to a complete versus culprit-only revascularization strategy were included. Random effects summary risk ratios (RR) were constructed using a DerSimonian-Laird model. The primary outcome of interest was mortality or myocardial infarction (MI). A total of seven trials with 1,939 patients were included in the analysis. Compared with culprit-only revascularization, complete revascularization was associated with a non-significant reduction in the risk of mortality or MI (RR 0.69, 95% co...

Research paper thumbnail of TCT-226 Complete versus culprit-only revascularization in patients with multi-vessel coronary disease undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: An updated meta-analysis of randomized trials

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Survival With Dialysis Versus Kidney Transplantation in Adult Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Patients: A Fifteen-Year Study of the Waiting List

Transplantation, Jan 4, 2015

Survival data are lacking for kidney transplant recipients with rare native end-stage renal disea... more Survival data are lacking for kidney transplant recipients with rare native end-stage renal disease (ESRD) etiologies. There is currently no large registry study comparing dialysis versus kidney transplantation survival outcomes of waitlisted adults with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). We retrospectively studied adult-HUS end-stage renal disease patients (n = 559) placed on the US kidney transplant waitlist in 1996 to 2011. We analyzed 5-year transplantation and patient survival probabilities and risk factors using Kaplan-Meier and Cox hazards models, respectively. Using similar models, waitlist and transplantation outcomes of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), and glomerulonephritis (GN) were analyzed, and then compared with HUS patients. Compared with waitlisted adult HUS patients on dialysis, 5-year mortality risks were 73% and 48% lower in recipients of living (hazard ratio [HR], 0.27, 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.11-0.65) and standard deceased (HR...

Research paper thumbnail of Antiepileptic drug use by pregnant women enrolled in Florida Medicaid

Neurology, Jan 3, 2015

The study aims were to investigate secular trends in antiepileptic drug (AED) use in women during... more The study aims were to investigate secular trends in antiepileptic drug (AED) use in women during pregnancy, and to compare the use of first- and second-generation AEDs. Study participants consisted of female Florida Medicaid beneficiaries, older than 15 years, and pregnant within the time period 1999 to 2009. Fifteen AEDs were categorized into first and second generation of AEDs. Continuous use of AEDs was defined as at least 2 consecutive AED prescriptions totaling more than a 30-day supply. Polytherapy was defined as 2 or more AEDs continuously used for at least 30 overlapping days. Annual prevalence was estimated and compared. We included 2,099 pregnant women who were enrolled in Florida Medicaid from 1999 to 2009 and exposed to AEDs during pregnancy. Although there were fluctuations, overall AED use in the study cohort did not increase from 2000 to 2009 (β ± standard error [SE]: -0.07 ± 0.06, p = 0.31). The use of first-generation AEDs decreased (β ± SE: -6.21 ± 0.47, p < 0....

Research paper thumbnail of Solaris orders Ballard fuel cell modules for latest European buses

Research paper thumbnail of Mild renal dysfunction and long-term adverse outcomes in women with chest pain: Results from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE)

American Heart Journal, 2015

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and advers... more Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that mild CKD independently predicts adverse outcomes in women with symptoms and signs of ischemia.

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of different tacrolimus levels on early outcomes after kidney transplantation

Annals of transplantation : quarterly of the Polish Transplantation Society, 2014

There is a paucity of modern data on the impact of high tacrolimus levels early after kidney tran... more There is a paucity of modern data on the impact of high tacrolimus levels early after kidney transplantation. This study analyzed the impact of various trough levels of tacrolimus in the first 2 weeks post-transplant on rates of delayed graft function (DGF), length of stay (LoS), hyperkalemia, hyperglycemia, and biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) rates in the first 3 months post-transplant in a retrospective single-center cohort of patients. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the average of two highest 12-hour trough tacrolimus levels: <10 ng/mL, 10-12 ng/mL, 12-15 ng/mL, >15 ng/mL. The incidence of DGF was noted to be significantly higher in the <10 ng/mL, >15 ng/mL and the 12-15 ng/mL tacrolimus groups as compared to the 10-12 ng/mL group (49%, 25% and 4%, respectively, p≤0.0001). Mean LoS was also noted to be significantly higher in the >15 ng/mL tacrolimus group as compared to the 10-12 ng/mL group (7.4 days and 6.1 days respectively, p=0.0007). There ...

Research paper thumbnail of Rethinking the Advantage of Zero-HLA Mismatches in Unrelated Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Implications on Kidney Paired Donation

Transplant International, 2014

The OPTN/UNOS Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Pilot Program allocates priority to zero-HLA mismatche... more The OPTN/UNOS Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Pilot Program allocates priority to zero-HLA mismatches. However, in unrelated living donor kidney transplants (LDKT)-the same donor source in KPD-no study has shown whether zero-HLA mismatches provide any advantage over &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0 HLA mismatches. We hypothesize that zero-HLA mismatches among unrelated LDKT do not benefit graft survival. This retrospective SRTR database study analyzed LDKT recipients from 1987 to 2012. Among unrelated LDKT, subjects with zero-HLA mismatches were compared to a 1:1-5 matched (by donor age ±1 year and year of transplantation) control cohort with &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0 HLA mismatches. The primary endpoint was death-censored graft survival. Among 32,654 unrelated LDKT recipients, 83 had zero-HLA mismatches and were matched to 407 controls with &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0 HLA mismatches. Kaplan-Meier analyses for death-censored graft and patient survival showed no difference between study and control cohorts. In multivariate marginal Cox models, zero-HLA mismatches saw no benefit with death-censored graft survival (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 0.78-2.73) or patient survival (HR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.68-3.01). Our data suggest that in unrelated LDKT, zero-HLA mismatches may not offer any survival advantage. Therefore, particular study of zero-HLA mismatching is needed to validate its place in the OPTN/UNOS KPD Pilot Program allocation algorithm.

Research paper thumbnail of Number and Function of Bone-Marrow Derived Angiogenic Cells and Coronary Flow Reserve in Women without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Substudy of the NHLBI-Sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE)

Background: In women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease, the Women's Ischem... more Background: In women with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease, the Women's Ischemic Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) observed that microvascular coronary dysfunction (MCD) is the best independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. Since coronary microvascular tone is regulated in part by endothelium, we hypothesized that circulating endothelial cells (CEC), which reflect endothelial injury, and the number and function of bone-marrow derived angiogenic cells (BMDAC), which could help repair damaged endothelium, may serve as biomarkers for decreased coronary flow reserve (CFR) and MCD.