49 results on '"Vojta D"'
Search Results
2. Metformin: an Old Therapy that Deserves a New Indication for the Treatment of Obesity
- Author
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Igel, L. I., Sinha, A., Saunders, K. H., Apovian, C. M., Vojta, D., and Aronne, L. J.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Characterization of Hydrogen Bonds by IR Spectroscopy
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Vojta, D.
- Subjects
Hydrogen Bonds ,IR Spectroscopy ,Chemistry ,QD1-999 - Abstract
In the identification and quantification of hydrogen bond, as one of the most abundant non-covalent interactions in phenomena like self-assembly and molecular recognition, IR spectrosopy has been employed as the most sensitive method. The performance of the high dilution method enables determination of the stability constant of hydrogen-bonded complex as one of the most important thermodynamic quantities used in their characterization. However, the alleged experimental simplicity of the mentioned method is loaded with errors originating not only from researcher intervention but also independent from it. The second source of error is particularly emphasized and elaborated in this paper, which is designed as the recipe for the successful characterization of hydrogen bonds. Besides the enumeration of all steps in the determination of hydrogen-bonded stability constants, the reader can be acquainted with the most important ex perimental conditions that should be fulfilled in order to minimize the naturally occurring errors in this type of investigation. In the spectral analysis, the application of both uni- and multivariate approach has been discussed. Some computer packages, considering the latter, are mentioned, described, and recommended. KUI -10/2012Received August 1, 2011Accepted October 24, 2011
- Published
- 2012
4. 18-month outcomes of a community-based treatment for childhood obesity
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Foster, G. D., Sundal, D., Lent, M. R., McDermott, C., Jelalian, E., and Vojta, D.
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Patient-collected tongue, nasal, and mid-turbinate swabs for SARS-CoV-2 yield equivalent sensitivity to health care worker collected nasopharyngeal swabs
- Author
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Tu, YP, primary, Jennings, R, additional, Hart, B, additional, Cangelosi, GA, additional, Wood, RC, additional, Wehber, K, additional, Verma, P, additional, Vojta, D, additional, and Berke, EM, additional
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. CAREGIVER QUALITY OF LIFE AND MANAGEMENT SELF-EFFICACY IN A TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASTHMA MEDICATION MONITORING CLINICAL TRIAL
- Author
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Blumenstock, J., primary, Boon, K., additional, Kanaley, M., additional, Szkodon, J., additional, Newmark, P., additional, Bozen, A., additional, Vojta, D., additional, and Gupta, R., additional
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
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7. 18-month outcomes of a community-based treatment for childhood obesity
- Author
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Foster, G. D., primary, Sundal, D., additional, Lent, M. R., additional, McDermott, C., additional, Jelalian, E., additional, and Vojta, D., additional
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
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8. In situCoIIoxidation upon coordination to the dithiocarbamate derivative
- Author
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Višnjevac, Aleksandar, primary, Vojta, D., additional, Kosović, M., additional, Đaković, M., additional, and Leka, Z., additional
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. PHV30: COSTS AND OUTCOMES OF A RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS PROPHYLAXIS PROGRAM IN A MEDICAID MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION
- Author
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Schaffer, M, primary, Amaya, MA, additional, and Vojta, D, additional
- Published
- 2000
- Full Text
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10. Gangliogliomas involving the optic chiasm
- Author
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Liu, G. T., primary, Galetta, S. L., additional, Rorke, L. B., additional, Bilaniuk, L. T., additional, Vojta, D. D., additional, Molloy, P. T., additional, Phillips, P. C., additional, Needle, M., additional, Duhaime, A.-C., additional, Sutton, L. N., additional, and Volpe, N. J., additional
- Published
- 1996
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Karakterizacija vodikovih veza IR-spektroskopijom.
- Author
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Vojta, D.
- Abstract
In the identification and quantification of hydrogen bond, as one of the most abundant non-covalent interactions in phenomena like self-assembly and molecular recognition, IR spectrosopy has been employed as the most sensitive method. The performance of the high dilution method enables determination of the stability constant of hydrogen-bonded complex as one of the most important thermodynamic quantities used in their characterization. However, the alleged experimental simplicity of the mentioned method is loaded with errors originating not only from researcher intervention but also independent from it. The second source of error is particularly emphasized and elaborated in this paper, which is designed as the recipe for the successful cha- racterization of hydrogen bonds. Besides the enumeration of all steps in the determination of hydrogen-bonded stability constants, the reader can be acquainted with the most important ex- perimental conditions that should be fulfilled in order to minimize the naturally occurring errors in this type of investigation. In the spectral analysis, the application of both uni- and multivariate approach has been discussed. Some computer packages, considering the latter, are mentioned, described, and recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
12. Risk screening in a medicare/medicaid population administrative data versus self report.
- Author
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Vojta, Christopher L., Vojta, Deneen D., TenHave, Thomas R., Amaya, Miguel, Lavizzo-Mourey, Risa, Asch, David A., Vojta, C L, Vojta, D D, TenHave, T R, Amaya, M, Lavizzo-Mourey, R, and Asch, D A
- Subjects
GERIATRICS ,HEALTH maintenance organization patients ,HEALTH maintenance organizations ,MEDICAID - Abstract
Objective: To compare the abilities of two validated indices, one survey-based and the other database-derived, to prospectively identify high-cost, dual-eligible Medicare/Medicaid members.Design: A longitudinal cohort study.Setting: A Medicaid health maintenance organization in Philadelphia, Pa.Participants: HMO enrollees (N = 558) 65 years and older eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.Measurements and Main Results: Two hundred ninety six patients responded to a survey containing the Probability of Repeat Admission Questionnaire (Pra) between October and November 1998. Using readily available administrative data, we created an administrative proxy for the Pra. Choosing a cut point of 0.40 for both indices maximized sensitivity at 55% for the administrative proxy and 50% for the survey Pra. This classification yielded 103 high-risk patients by administrative proxy and 73 by survey Pra. High-cost patients averaged at least 2.3 times the resource utilization during the 6-month follow-up. Correlation between the two scores was 0.53, and the scales disagreed on high-cost risk in 78 patients (54 high-cost by administrative proxy only, and 24 high-cost by survey Pra only). These two discordant groups utilized intermediate levels of resources, $2,171 and $2,794, that were not statistically significantly different between the two groups (probability > chi2 =.66). Receiver operating characteristic curve areas (0.68 for survey Pra and administrative proxy for respondents, and 0.67 by administrative proxy for nonrespondents) revealed similar overall discriminative abilities for the two instruments for costs.Conclusions: The Medicaid/Medicare dual-eligible population responded to the survey Pra at a rate of 53%, limiting its practical utility as a screening instrument. Using a cut point of 0.40, the administrative proxy performed as well as the survey Pra in this population and was equally applicable to nonrespondents. The time lag inherent in database screening limits its applicability for new patients, but combining database-driven and survey-based approaches holds promise for targeting patients who might benefit from case management intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2001
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13. "Back Rx, a personalized mobile phone application for discogenic chronic low back pain: a prospective pilot study".
- Author
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Vad VB, Madrazo-Ibarra A, Estrin D, Pollak JP, Carroll KM, Vojta D, Vad A, and Trapness C
- Subjects
- Humans, Lumbar Vertebrae diagnostic imaging, Lumbar Vertebrae pathology, Pilot Projects, Prospective Studies, Treatment Outcome, Adolescent, Young Adult, Adult, Middle Aged, Aged, Cell Phone, Chronic Pain etiology, Chronic Pain therapy, Low Back Pain diagnostic imaging, Low Back Pain etiology, Low Back Pain therapy, Mobile Applications
- Abstract
Background: Intervertebral disc pathology is the most common identifiable cause of chronic lower back pain (CLBP). There are limited conservative alternatives to treat discogenic axial CLBP. Back Rx is a mobile application (app) developed to treat patients with this condition, following the Back Rx exercise program, assisted by a virtual coach., Methods: Patients 18 to 65 years of age, with axial CLBP (more than 3 months), and evidence of lumbar disc pathology by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enrolled to the study. Patients' symptomatology was prospectively evaluated at baseline and after 3 months of using the Back Rx app. The main outcome of the study was back pain evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Secondary outcomes were the patient's functionality, the weekly pain medication intake, the patients' adherence to the app, and the patients´ satisfaction rate., Results: Seventy-five patients with CLBP were enrolled in the study. All patients had a statistically significant improvement from baseline to final follow-up in the average VAS scores, and the functionality evaluations. Average VAS scores decreased from 5.17 ± 2.1 at baseline to 3.8 ± 2.6 at final follow-up (P = 0.016). Patients showed a significant decrease in the number of pain medications taken during a week (P = 0.001). Overall compliance with the app was 52%, and 65% of the patients rated the overall experience as good or excellent., Conclusion: The Back Rx app decreased pain and increased function in patients with discogenic axial CLBP compared to their baseline status. Further measures are needed to increase patients' compliance with the app and the Back Rx program., Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered in 2/2/2017 NCT03040310 (ClinicalTrials.gov)., (© 2022. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2022
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14. Health provider perspectives of electronic medication monitoring in outpatient asthma care: a qualitative investigation using the consolidated framework for implementation research.
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Kan K, Shaunfield S, Kanaley M, Chadha A, Boon K, Morales L, Davis MM, Vojta D, and Gupta RS
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- Albuterol, Child, Electronics, Humans, Primary Health Care, Qualitative Research, Asthma drug therapy, Outpatients
- Abstract
Objective: Little is known about the implementation challenges health providers might face with the use of digital health in outpatient asthma care. To qualitatively explore the experience of health providers with electronic medication monitoring (EMM) using an implementation science framework., Methods: Using the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research (CFIR), we conducted interviews ( n = 10) exploring health providers' experience with EMM with asthma patients from 5 primary care or specialty clinics. The EMM tracked albuterol and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use, and health providers called parents whenever ICS adherence waned, or albuterol use increased. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and deductively analyzed using directed content analysis., Results: Health providers reported the intervention's primary advantage, compared with current asthma care, was the ability to monitor medication use at-home. Most felt the intervention improved care delivery. Nurses and medical assistants described a process of phone calls and checking alerts, that had varying levels of administrative burden and complexity. Health providers felt that sustained implementation of the intervention model would require additional employees to handle the administrative and clinical workload. Half of the interviewed providers were unsure if patient needs were met by the intervention, while some cited technology syncing issues, others liked the enhanced interactions for asthma education., Conclusion: Health providers reported positive experiences supporting parents and children with asthma using EMM but also highlighted intervention components that needed improvement or refinement to yield successful implementation in outpatient pediatric clinics. Recommendations for enhancing the intervention for a scaled-up implementation were discussed.
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- 2022
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15. Integrating diabetes technologies with team-based primary care for type 2 diabetes: A pilot trial.
- Author
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O'Brien MJ, Stephen JJ, Norton KL, Meehan TP, Vojta D, and Ackermann RT
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- Blood Pressure, Humans, Pilot Projects, Primary Health Care, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 diagnosis, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 therapy
- Abstract
This pilot trial studied a novel intervention that integrated diabetes technologies into team-based primary care for type 2 diabetes. We found clinically significant reductions in blood pressure, weight, and glucose. The latter two were statistically significant., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
- Published
- 2021
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16. Determinants of asthma knowledge and practices among caregivers of children with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma.
- Author
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Volerman A, Fierstein J, Boon K, Vojta D, and Gupta R
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- Adolescent, Anti-Asthmatic Agents therapeutic use, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Asthma drug therapy, Caregivers, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Published
- 2021
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17. Metformin and Covid-19: Focused Review of Mechanisms and Current Literature Suggesting Benefit.
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Ibrahim S, Lowe JR, Bramante CT, Shah S, Klatt NR, Sherwood N, Aronne L, Puskarich M, Tamariz L, Palacio A, Bomberg E, Usher M, King S, Benson B, Vojta D, Tignanelli C, and Ingraham N
- Subjects
- Humans, Treatment Outcome, Hypoglycemic Agents therapeutic use, Metformin therapeutic use, COVID-19 Drug Treatment
- Abstract
Metformin is the first-line medication for type 2 diabetes, but it also has a long history of improved outcomes in infectious diseases, such as influenza, hepatitis C, and in-vitro assays of zika. In the current Covid-19 pandemic, which has rapidly spread throughout the world, 4 observational studies have been published showing reduced mortality among individuals with home metformin use. There are several potential overlapping mechanisms by which metformin may reduce mortality from Covid-19. Metformin's past anti-infectious benefits have been both against the infectious agent directly, as well as by improving the underlying health of the human host. It is unknown if the lower mortality suggested by observational studies in patients infected with Covid-19 who are on home metformin is due to direct activity against the virus itself, improved host substrate, or both., Competing Interests: DV is employed by the company UnitedHealth Group. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ibrahim, Lowe, Bramante, Shah, Klatt, Sherwood, Aronne, Puskarich, Tamariz, Palacio, Bomberg, Usher, King, Benson, Vojta, Tignanelli and Ingraham.)
- Published
- 2021
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18. Association of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers With the Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Hypertensive Patients With COVID-19.
- Author
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Khera R, Clark C, Lu Y, Guo Y, Ren S, Truax B, Spatz ES, Murugiah K, Lin Z, Omer SB, Vojta D, and Krumholz HM
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, COVID-19 complications, COVID-19 therapy, Cohort Studies, Female, Hospital Mortality, Humans, Hypertension drug therapy, Male, Middle Aged, Propensity Score, Young Adult, Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists therapeutic use, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors therapeutic use, COVID-19 mortality, Hospitalization, Hypertension complications, Hypertension mortality
- Abstract
Background Despite its clinical significance, the risk of severe infection requiring hospitalization among outpatients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection who receive angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) remains uncertain. Methods and Results In a propensity score-matched outpatient cohort (January-May 2020) of 2263 Medicare Advantage and commercially insured individuals with hypertension and a positive outpatient SARS-CoV-2, we determined the association of ACE inhibitors and ARBs with COVID-19 hospitalization. In a concurrent inpatient cohort of 7933 hospitalized with COVID-19, we tested their association with in-hospital mortality. The robustness of the observations was assessed in a contemporary cohort (May-August). In the outpatient study, neither ACE inhibitors (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77; 0.53-1.13, P =0.18) nor ARBs (HR, 0.88; 0.61-1.26, P =0.48) were associated with hospitalization risk. ACE inhibitors were associated with lower hospitalization risk in the older Medicare group (HR, 0.61; 0.41-0.93, P =0.02), but not the younger commercially insured group (HR, 2.14; 0.82-5.60, P =0.12; P -interaction 0.09). Neither ACE inhibitors nor ARBs were associated with lower hospitalization risk in either population in the validation cohort. In the primary inpatient study cohort, neither ACE inhibitors (HR, 0.97; 0.81-1.16; P =0.74) nor ARBs (HR, 1.15; 0.95-1.38, P =0.15) were associated with in-hospital mortality. These observations were consistent in the validation cohort. Conclusions ACE inhibitors and ARBs were not associated with COVID-19 hospitalization or mortality. Despite early evidence for a potential association between ACE inhibitors and severe COVID-19 prevention in older individuals, the inconsistency of this observation in recent data argues against a role for prophylaxis.
- Published
- 2021
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19. Outpatient metformin use is associated with reduced severity of COVID-19 disease in adults with overweight or obesity.
- Author
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Bramante CT, Buse J, Tamaritz L, Palacio A, Cohen K, Vojta D, Liebovitz D, Mitchell N, Nicklas J, Lingvay I, Clark JM, Aronne LJ, Anderson E, Usher M, Demmer R, Melton GB, Ingraham N, and Tignanelli CJ
- Subjects
- Body Mass Index, Glycated Hemoglobin analysis, Hospitalization statistics & numerical data, Humans, Interleukin-6 blood, Obesity, Retrospective Studies, Treatment Outcome, Anti-Inflammatory Agents therapeutic use, Antiviral Agents therapeutic use, Metformin therapeutic use, SARS-CoV-2 drug effects, COVID-19 Drug Treatment
- Abstract
Observational studies suggest outpatient metformin use is associated with reduced mortality from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Metformin is known to decrease interleukin-6 and tumor-necrosis factor-α, which appear to contribute to morbidity in COVID-19. We sought to understand whether outpatient metformin use was associated with reduced odds of severe COVID-19 disease in a large US healthcare data set. Retrospective cohort analysis of electronic health record (EHR) data that was pooled across multiple EHR systems from 12 hospitals and 60 primary care clinics in the Midwest between March 4, 2020 and December 4, 2020. Inclusion criteria: data for body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m
2 and a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test; age ≥ 30 and ≤85 years. Exclusion criteria: patient opt-out of research. Metformin is the exposure of interest, and death, admission, and intensive care unit admission are the outcomes of interest. Metformin was associated with a decrease in mortality from COVID-19, OR 0.32 (0.15, 0.66; p = .002), and in the propensity-matched cohorts, OR 0.38 (0.16, 0.91; p = .030). Metformin was associated with a nonsignificant decrease in hospital admission for COVID-19 in the overall cohort, OR 0.78 (0.58-1.04, p = .087). Among the subgroup with a hemoglobin HbA1c available (n = 1193), the adjusted odds of hospitalization (including adjustment for HbA1c) for metformin users was OR 0.75 (0.53-1.06, p = .105). Outpatient metformin use was associated with lower mortality and a trend towards decreased admission for COVID-19. Given metformin's low cost, established safety, and the mounting evidence of reduced severity of COVID-19 disease, metformin should be prospectively assessed for outpatient treatment of COVID-19., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Medical Virology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)- Published
- 2021
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20. Parental quality of life and self-efficacy in pediatric asthma.
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Kan K, Fierstein J, Boon K, Madeleine Kanaley, Zavos P, Volerman A, Vojta D, and Gupta RS
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- Adolescent, Adrenal Cortex Hormones therapeutic use, Asthma ethnology, Bronchodilator Agents administration & dosage, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Drug Therapy, Combination, Ethnicity, Female, Humans, Male, Mobile Applications, Nebulizers and Vaporizers, Quality of Life, Racial Groups, Respiratory Function Tests, Socioeconomic Factors, Asthma drug therapy, Asthma epidemiology, Bronchodilator Agents therapeutic use, Parents psychology, Self Efficacy
- Abstract
Objective: Self-efficacy is the personal belief that a behavior can produce a desired result; and in asthma, self-efficacy in asthma care has been related to improvements in asthma outcomes and children's quality of life. To appreciate the full burden of asthma on families, the relationship between parental self-efficacy and quality of life also needs further study. We aim to characterize this relationship. Methods: Secondary analysis of measurements of parents of children with persistent asthma ( n = 252; ages 4-17 years) from a large urban area were identified from a randomized trial; the association between baseline assessments of parental quality of life, measured by the Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ), and parental self-efficacy, measured through the Parental Asthma Management Self-Efficacy Scale (PAMSES), were examined through multivariable linear regression. Results: Parental self-efficacy in asthma was positively associated with quality of life among parents of racially and ethnically diverse children ( p = 0.01). Confidence in using medications correctly ( p = 0.03), having inhalers during a child's serious breathing problem ( p = 0.02), and knowing which medications to use during a child's serious breathing problem ( p = 0.04) were associated with a clinically meaningful difference in parental quality of life. Other significant factors associated with parental quality of life included Hispanic/Latino ethnicity ( p < 0.01) of the child and Asthma Control Test scores ( p < 0.01). Conclusion: The findings suggest that improving parental confidence on when and how to use their child's asthma medications, particularly during an asthma attack, might be clinically meaningful in enhancing parent's quality of life.
- Published
- 2021
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21. Parent Experiences With Electronic Medication Monitoring in Pediatric Asthma Management: Qualitative Study.
- Author
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Kan K, Shaunfield S, Kanaley M, Chadha A, Boon K, Foster CC, Morales L, Labellarte P, Vojta D, and Gupta RS
- Abstract
Background: Electronic medication monitoring (EMM) is a digital tool that can be used for tracking daily medication use. Previous studies of EMM in asthma management have been conducted in adults or have examined pediatric interventions that use EMM for less than 1 year. To understand how to improve EMM-enhanced interventions, it is necessary to explore the experiences of parents of children with asthma, recruited from outpatient practices, who completed a 12-month intervention trial., Objective: The objective of our study was to use qualitative inquiry to answer the following questions: (1) how did using an EMM-enhanced intervention change parents'/caregivers' experiences of managing their child's asthma, and (2) what do parents recommend for improving the intervention in the future?, Methods: Parents were recruited from the intervention arm of a multicomponent health intervention enhanced by Bluetooth-enabled sensors placed on inhaler medications. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 parents of children aged 4-12 years with asthma. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and inductively analyzed using a constant comparative approach., Results: Interview participants reflected an even mix of publicly and privately insured children and a diverse racial-ethnic demographic. Parents discussed 6 key themes related to their experience with the EMM-enhanced intervention for the management of their child's asthma: (1) compatibility with the family's lifestyle, (2) impact on asthma management, (3) impact on the child's health, (4) emotional impact of the intervention, (5) child's engagement in asthma management with the intervention, and (6) recommendations for future intervention design. Overall, parents reported that the 12-month EMM intervention was compatible with their daily lives, positively influenced their preventive and acute asthma management, and promoted their child's engagement in their own asthma management. While parents found the intervention acceptable and generally favorable, some parents identified compatibility issues for families with multiple caregivers and frustration when the technology malfunctioned., Conclusions: Parents generally viewed the intervention as a positive influence on the management of their child's asthma. However, our study also highlighted technology challenges related to having multiple caregivers, which will need to be addressed in future iterations for families. Attention must be paid to the needs of parents from low socioeconomic households, who may have more limited access to reliable internet or depend on other relatives for childcare. Understanding these family factors will help refine how a digital tool can be adopted into daily disease management of pediatric asthma., (©Kristin Kan, Sara Shaunfield, Madeleine Kanaley, Avneet Chadha, Kathy Boon, Carolyn C Foster, Luis Morales, Patricia Labellarte, Deneen Vojta, Ruchi S Gupta. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org), 23.04.2021.)
- Published
- 2021
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22. Metformin and risk of mortality in patients hospitalised with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort analysis.
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Bramante CT, Ingraham NE, Murray TA, Marmor S, Hovertsen S, Gronski J, McNeil C, Feng R, Guzman G, Abdelwahab N, King S, Tamariz L, Meehan T, Pendleton KM, Benson B, Vojta D, and Tignanelli CJ
- Subjects
- Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Obesity, Retrospective Studies, COVID-19, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Metformin
- Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes and obesity, as states of chronic inflammation, are risk factors for severe COVID-19. Metformin has cytokine-reducing and sex-specific immunomodulatory effects. Our aim was to identify whether metformin reduced COVID-19-related mortality and whether sex-specific interactions exist., Methods: In this retrospective cohort analysis, we assessed de-identified claims data from UnitedHealth Group (UHG)'s Clinical Discovery Claims Database. Patient data were eligible for inclusion if they were aged 18 years or older; had type 2 diabetes or obesity (defined based on claims); at least 6 months of continuous enrolment in 2019; and admission to hospital for COVID-19 confirmed by PCR, manual chart review by UHG, or reported from the hospital to UHG. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality from COVID-19. The independent variable of interest was home metformin use, defined as more than 90 days of claims during the year before admission to hospital. Covariates were comorbidities, medications, demographics, and state. Heterogeneity of effect was assessed by sex. For the Cox proportional hazards, censoring was done on the basis of claims made after admission to hospital up to June 7, 2020, with a best outcome approach. Propensity-matched mixed-effects logistic regression was done, stratified by metformin use., Findings: 6256 of the 15 380 individuals with pharmacy claims data from Jan 1 to June 7, 2020 were eligible for inclusion. 3302 (52·8%) of 6256 were women. Metformin use was not associated with significantly decreased mortality in the overall sample of men and women by either Cox proportional hazards stratified model (hazard ratio [HR] 0·887 [95% CI 0·782-1·008]) or propensity matching (odds ratio [OR] 0·912 [95% CI 0·777-1·071], p=0·15). Metformin was associated with decreased mortality in women by Cox proportional hazards (HR 0·785, 95% CI 0·650-0·951) and propensity matching (OR 0·759, 95% CI 0·601-0·960, p=0·021). There was no significant reduction in mortality among men (HR 0·957, 95% CI 0·82-1·14; p=0·689 by Cox proportional hazards)., Interpretation: Metformin was significantly associated with reduced mortality in women with obesity or type 2 diabetes who were admitted to hospital for COVID-19. Prospective studies are needed to understand mechanism and causality. If findings are reproducible, metformin could be widely distributed for prevention of COVID-19 mortality, because it is safe and inexpensive., Funding: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; Minnesota Learning Health System Mentored Training Program, M Health Fairview Institutional Funds; National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; and National Cancer Institute., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.)
- Published
- 2021
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23. Sensor-Based Electronic Monitoring for Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Author
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Gupta RS, Fierstein JL, Boon KL, Kanaley MK, Bozen A, Kan K, Vojta D, and Warren CM
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Caregivers psychology, Child, Child, Preschool, Emergency Service, Hospital statistics & numerical data, Female, Hospitalization statistics & numerical data, Humans, Male, Monitoring, Ambulatory instrumentation, Nebulizers and Vaporizers, Quality of Life, Smartphone, Anti-Asthmatic Agents therapeutic use, Asthma drug therapy, Drug Monitoring instrumentation, Medication Adherence, Telemetry
- Abstract
Background: Although sensor-based monitoring of daily inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) and short-acting β-agonist medications may improve asthma outcomes, the effectiveness of these interventions in diverse pediatric populations remains unclear., Methods: Caregiver and child dyads were randomly assigned to receive inhaler sensors that allowed for caregiver and clinician electronic monitoring of medications. End points included Asthma Control Test scores (≥19 indicated asthma control) and asthma health care use. Caregiver quality of life (QoL) and child ICS adherence were also assessed. Multilevel models were used to estimate adjusted changes from baseline., Results: Dyads were assigned to the control ( n = 127) or intervention ( n = 125) arms. At the end line, the mean Asthma Control Test score increased from 19.1 (SE = 0.3) to 21.8 (SE = 0.4) among the intervention and from 19.4 (SE = 0.3) to 19.9 (SE = 0.4) among the control (Δ
intervention-control = 2.2; SE = 0.6; P < .01). Adjusted rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations among the intervention were significantly greater (incidence rate ratioemergency department = 2.2; SE = 0.5; P < .01; incidence rate ratiohospital = 3.4; SE = 1.4; P < .01) at endline than the control. Caregiver QoL was greater among the intervention at the endline (Δintervention-control = 0.3; SE = 0.2; P = .1) than the control., Conclusions: Findings suggest that sensor-based inhaler monitoring with clinical feedback may improve asthma control and caregiver QoL within diverse populations. Higher health care use was observed among the intervention participants relative to the control, indicating further refinement is warranted., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)- Published
- 2021
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24. A comparison of health care worker-collected foam and polyester nasal swabs in convalescent COVID-19 patients.
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Hart B, Tu YP, Jennings R, Verma P, Padgett LR, Rains D, Vojta D, and Berke EM
- Subjects
- Adult, Betacoronavirus genetics, COVID-19, COVID-19 Testing, Coronavirus Infections diagnosis, Culture Media, Disposable Equipment supply & distribution, Female, Health Personnel, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Viral diagnosis, RNA, Viral analysis, Random Allocation, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, SARS-CoV-2, Saline Solution, Sensitivity and Specificity, Specimen Handling methods, Viral Load, Betacoronavirus isolation & purification, Clinical Laboratory Techniques, Convalescence, Coronavirus Infections virology, Nasal Cavity virology, Pandemics, Pneumonia, Viral virology, Polyesters, Polyurethanes, Specimen Handling instrumentation
- Abstract
Both polyester and foam nasal swabs were collected from convalescent COVID-19 patients at a single visit and stored in viral transport media (VTM), saline or dry. Sensitivity of each swab material and media combination were estimated, three by three tables were constructed to measure polyester and foam concordance, and cycle threshold (Ct) values were compared. 126 visits had polyester and foam swabs stored in viral transport media (VTM), 51 had swabs stored in saline, and 63 had a foam swab in VTM and a polyester swab stored in a dry tube. Polyester and foam swabs had an estimated sensitivity of 87.3% and 94.5% respectively in VTM, 87.5% and 93.8% respectively in saline, and 75.0% and 90.6% respectively for dry polyester and foam VTM. Polyester and foam Ct values were correlated, but polyester showed decreased performance for cases with a viral load near the detection threshold and higher Ct values on average., Competing Interests: Brian Hart, Rachel Jennings, Prateek Verma, Deneen Vojta, and Ethan Berke were employees of UnitedHealth Group during the design and analysis of the study and initial drafting of the manuscript. Yuan-Po Tu is an employee of The Everett Clinic, which is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. Leah R. Padgett and Douglas Rains are employees of Quantigen Biosciences and have performed contract services for Thermo Fisher Scientific. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. The competing interests implied by the authors’ employer/employee relationships do not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.
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- 2020
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25. Swabs Collected by Patients or Health Care Workers for SARS-CoV-2 Testing.
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Tu YP, Jennings R, Hart B, Cangelosi GA, Wood RC, Wehber K, Verma P, Vojta D, and Berke EM
- Subjects
- Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19 Testing, Health Personnel, Humans, Nasopharynx virology, Nose virology, Pandemics, Patients, SARS-CoV-2, Sensitivity and Specificity, Tongue virology, Turbinates virology, Clinical Laboratory Techniques, Coronavirus Infections diagnosis, Pneumonia, Viral diagnosis, Specimen Handling methods
- Published
- 2020
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26. Observational Study of Metformin and Risk of Mortality in Patients Hospitalized with Covid-19.
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Bramante CT, Ingraham NE, Murray TA, Marmor S, Hovertsen S, Gronski J, McNeil C, Feng R, Guzman G, Abdelwahab N, King S, Meehan T, Pendleton KM, Benson B, Vojta D, and Tignanelli CJ
- Abstract
Background Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and obesity are significant risks for mortality in Covid19. Metformin has been hypothesized as a treatment for COVID19. Metformin has sex specific immunomodulatory effects which may elucidate treatment mechanisms in COVID-19. In this study we sought to identify whether metformin reduced mortality from Covid19 and if sex specific interactions exist. Methods De-identified claims data from UnitedHealth were used to identify persons with at least 6 months continuous coverage who were hospitalized with Covid-19. Persons in the metformin group had at least 90 days of metformin claims in the 12 months before hospitalization. Unadjusted and multivariate models were conducted to assess risk of mortality based on metformin as a home medication in individuals with T2DM and obesity, controlling for pre-morbid conditions, medications, demographics, and state. Heterogeneity of effect was assessed by sex. Results 6,256 persons were included; 52.8% female; mean age 75 years. Metformin was associated with decreased mortality in women by logistic regression, OR 0.792 (0.640, 0.979); mixed effects OR 0.780 (0.631, 0.965); Cox proportional-hazards: HR 0.785 (0.650, 0.951); and propensity matching, OR of 0.759 (0.601, 0.960). TNF-alpha inhibitors were associated with decreased mortality in the 38 persons taking them, by propensity matching, OR 0.19 (0.0378, 0.983). Conclusions Metformin was significantly associated with reduced mortality in women with obesity or T2DM in observational analyses of claims data from individuals hospitalized with Covid-19. This sex-specific finding is consistent with metformin reducing TNF-alpha in females over males, and suggests that metformin conveys protection in Covid-19 through TNF-alpha effects. Prospective studies are needed to understand mechanism and causality.
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- 2020
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27. Association of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers with the Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Hypertensive Patients with Coronavirus Disease-19.
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Khera R, Clark C, Lu Y, Guo Y, Ren S, Truax B, Spatz ES, Murugiah K, Lin Z, Omer SB, Vojta D, and Krumholz HM
- Abstract
Background: Whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) mitigate or exacerbate SARS-CoV-2 infection remains uncertain. In a national study, we evaluated the association of ACE inhibitors and ARB with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) hospitalization and mortality among individuals with hypertension., Methods: Among Medicare Advantage and commercially insured individuals, we identified 2,263 people with hypertension, receiving ≥1 antihypertensive agents, and who had a positive outpatient SARS-CoV-2 test (outpatient cohort). In a propensity score-matched analysis, we determined the association of ACE inhibitors and ARBs with the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19. In a second study of 7,933 individuals with hypertension who were hospitalized with COVID-19 (inpatient cohort), we tested the association of these medications with in-hospital mortality. We stratified all our assessments by insurance groups., Results: Among individuals in the outpatient and inpatient cohorts, 31.9% and 29.8%, respectively, used ACE inhibitors and 32.3% and 28.1% used ARBs. In the outpatient study, over a median 30.0 (19.0 - 40.0) days after testing positive, 12.7% were hospitalized for COVID-19. In propensity score-matched analyses, neither ACE inhibitors (HR, 0.77 [0.53, 1.13], P = 0.18), nor ARBs (HR, 0.88 [0.61, 1.26], P = 0.48), were significantly associated with risk of hospitalization. In analyses stratified by insurance group, ACE inhibitors, but not ARBs, were associated with a significant lower risk of hospitalization in the Medicare group (HR, 0.61 [0.41, 0.93], P = 0.02), but not the commercially insured group (HR: 2.14 [0.82, 5.60], P = 0.12; P-interaction 0.09). In the inpatient study, 14.2% died, 59.5% survived to discharge, and 26.3% had an ongoing hospitalization. In propensity score-matched analyses, neither use of ACE inhibitor (0.97 [0.81, 1.16]; P = 0.74) nor ARB (1.15 [0.95, 1.38]; P = 0.15) was associated with risk of in-hospital mortality, in total or in the stratified analyses., Conclusions: The use of ACE inhibitors and ARBs was not associated with the risk of hospitalization or mortality among those infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, there was a nearly 40% lower risk of hospitalization with the use of ACE inhibitors in the Medicare population. This finding merits a clinical trial to evaluate the potential role of ACE inhibitors in reducing the risk of hospitalization among older individuals, who are at an elevated risk of adverse outcomes with the infection.
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- 2020
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28. Factors associated with effective inhaler technique among children with moderate to severe asthma.
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Volerman A, Fierstein J, Boon K, Kanaley M, Kan K, Vojta D, and Gupta R
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- Administration, Inhalation, Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Adrenal Cortex Hormones administration & dosage, Anti-Asthmatic Agents administration & dosage, Asthma drug therapy, Nebulizers and Vaporizers
- Published
- 2019
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29. An mHealth App for Self-Management of Chronic Lower Back Pain (Limbr): Pilot Study.
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Selter A, Tsangouri C, Ali SB, Freed D, Vatchinsky A, Kizer J, Sahuguet A, Vojta D, Vad V, Pollak JP, and Estrin D
- Abstract
Background: Although mobile health (mHealth) interventions can help improve outcomes among patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP), many available mHealth apps offer content that is not evidence based. Limbr was designed to enhance self-management of CLBP by packaging self-directed rehabilitation tutorial videos, visual self-report tools, remote health coach support, and activity tracking into a suite of mobile phone apps, including Your Activities of Daily Living, an image-based tool for quantifying pain-related disability., Objective: The aim is to (1) describe patient engagement with the Limbr program, (2) describe patient-perceived utility of the Limbr program, and (3) assess the validity of the Your Activities of Daily Living module for quantifying functional status among patients with CLBP., Methods: This was a single-arm trial utilizing a convenience sample of 93 adult patients with discogenic back pain who visited a single physiatrist from January 2016 to February 2017. Eligible patients were enrolled in 3-month physical therapy program and received the Limbr mobile phone app suite for iOS or Android. The program included three daily visual self-reports to assess pain, activity level, and medication/coping mechanisms; rehabilitation video tutorials; passive activity-level measurement; and chat-based health coaching. Patient characteristics, patient engagement, and perceived utility were analyzed descriptively. Associations between participant characteristics and program interaction were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Associations between Your Activities of Daily Living and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) assessments were examined using Pearson correlation and hierarchical linear modeling., Results: A total of 93 participants were enrolled; of these, 35 (38%) completed the program (age: mean 46, SD 16 years; female: 22/35, 63%). More than half of completers finished assessments at least every 3 days and 70% (19/27) used the rehabilitation component at least once a week. Among respondents to a Web-based feedback survey, 76% (16/21) found the daily notifications helped them remember to complete their exercises, 81% (17/21) found the system easy to use, and 62% (13/21) rated their overall experience good or excellent. Baseline Your Activities of Daily Living score was a significant predictor of baseline ODI score, with ODI increasing by 0.30 units for every 1-unit increase in Your Activities of Daily Living (P<.001). Similarly, hierarchical linear modeling analysis indicated that Your Activities of Daily Living daily assessment scores were significant predictors of ODI scores over the course of the study (P=.01)., Conclusions: Engagement among participants who completed the Limbr program was high, and program utility was rated positively by most respondents. Your Activities of Daily Living was significantly associated with ODI scores, supporting the validity of this novel tool. Future studies should assess the effect of Limbr on clinical outcomes, evaluate its use among a wider patient sample, and explore strategies for reducing attrition., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03040310; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03040310 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/722mEvAiv)., (©Aliza Selter, Christina Tsangouri, Sana B Ali, Diana Freed, Adrian Vatchinsky, James Kizer, Arnaud Sahuguet, Deneen Vojta, Vijay Vad, JP Pollak, Deborah Estrin. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 17.09.2018.)
- Published
- 2018
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30. Intensive remote monitoring versus conventional care in type 1 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial.
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Gandrud L, Altan A, Buzinec P, Hemphill J, Chatterton J, Kelley T, and Vojta D
- Abstract
Objective: While frequent contact with diabetes care providers may improve glycemic control among patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), in-person visits are labor-intensive and costly. This study was conducted to assess the impact of an intensive remote therapy (IRT) intervention for pediatric patients with T1D., Methods: Pediatric patients with T1D were randomized to IRT or conventional care (CC) for 6 months. Both cohorts continued routine quarterly clinic visits and uploaded device data; for the IRT cohort, data were reviewed and patients were contacted if regimen adjustments were indicated. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) change from baseline was assessed at 6 and 9 months. Diabetes-related quality of life (QoL), healthcare services utilization, and hypoglycemic events were also tracked., Results: Among 117 enrollees (60 IRT, 57 CC), mean (SD) 6-month %HbA1c change for IRT vs CC was -0.34 (0.85) (-3.7 mmol/mol) vs -0.05 (0.74) (-0.5 mmol/mol) overall (P = .071); -0.15 (0.67) (1.6 mmol/mol) vs -0.02 (0.66) (0.2 mmol/mol) for ages 8 to 12 (P = .541); and -0.50 (0.95) (-5.5 mmol/mol) vs -0.06 (0.80) (-0.7 mmol/mol) for ages 13 to 17 (P = .056). Diabetes-related QoL increased by 6.5 and 1.3 points for IRT and CC, respectively (P = .062). Three months after intervention cessation, %HbA1c changed minimally among treated children aged 8 to 12 but increased by 0.22 (0.89) (2.4 mmol/mol) among those aged 13 to 17., Conclusions: IRT substantially affected diabetes metrics and improved QoL among pediatric patients with T1D. Adolescents experienced a stronger treatment effect, but had difficulty in sustaining improved control after intervention cessation., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
- Published
- 2018
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31. Comparative effectiveness and costs of insulin pump therapy for diabetes.
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Ackermann RT, Wallia A, Kang R, Cooper A, Prospect TA, Sandy LG, and Vojta D
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Comparative Effectiveness Research, Delivery of Health Care economics, Delivery of Health Care statistics & numerical data, Diabetes Mellitus economics, Female, Glycated Hemoglobin analysis, Health Care Costs statistics & numerical data, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Treatment Outcome, United States, Young Adult, Diabetes Mellitus drug therapy, Insulin Infusion Systems economics
- Abstract
Objectives: Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), or "insulin pump" therapy, is an alternative to multiple daily insulin injections (MDII) for management of diabetes. This study evaluates patterns of healthcare utilization, costs, and blood glucose control for patients with diabetes who initiate CSII., Study Design: Pre-post with propensity-matched comparison design involving commercially insured US adults (aged 18-64 years) with insulin-requiring diabetes who transitioned from MDII to CSII between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2012 ("CSII initiators"; n = 2539), or who continued using MDI (n = 2539)., Methods: Medical claims and laboratory results files obtained from a large US-wide health payer were used to construct direct medical expenditures, hospital use, healthcare encounters for hypoglycemia, and mean concentration of glycated hemoglobin (A1C). We fit difference-in-differences regression models to compare healthcare expenditures for 3 years following the switch to CSII. Stratified analyses were performed for prespecified patient subgroups., Results: Over 3 years, mean per-person total healthcare expenditures were $1714 (95% confidence interval [CI], $1184-$2244) higher per quarter for CSII initiators compared with matched MDII patients (total mean 3-year difference of $20,565). Compared with matched controls, mean A1C concentrations became lower for CSII initiators by 0.46% in year 2 (P = .0003) and by 0.32% in year 3 (P = .047). CSII initiators also had a higher rate of hypoglycemia encounters in year 1 (P = .002)., Conclusions: For adults with insulin-requiring diabetes, transitioning from MDII to CSII was associated with modest improvements in A1C but more hypoglycemia encounters and increased healthcare expenditures, without significant improvement in other potentially offsetting areas of healthcare consumption.
- Published
- 2017
32. Reaction Mechanism of Covalent Modification of Phosphatidylethanolamine Lipids by Reactive Aldehydes 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal and 4-Oxo-2-nonenal.
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Vazdar K, Vojta D, Margetić D, and Vazdar M
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- Mass Spectrometry, Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared, Aldehydes chemistry, Phosphatidylethanolamines chemistry
- Abstract
4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and 4-oxo-2-nonenal (ONE) are biologically important reactive aldehydes formed during oxidative stress in phospholipid bilayers. They are highly reactive species due to presence of several reaction centers and can react with amino acids in peptides and proteins, as well as phosphoethanolamine (PE) lipids, thus modifying their biological activity. The aim of this work is to study in a molecular detail the reactivity of HNE and ONE toward PE lipids in a simplified system containing only lipids and reactive aldehydes in dichloromethane as an inert solvent. We use a combination of quantum chemical calculations,
1 H NMR measurements, FT-IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry experiments and show that for both reactive aldehydes two types of chemical reactions are possible: formation of Michael adducts and Schiff bases. In the case of HNE, an initially formed Michael adduct can also undergo an additional cyclization step to a hemiacetal derivative, whereas no cyclization occurs in the case of ONE and a Michael adduct is identified. A Schiff base product initially formed when HNE is added to PE lipid can also further cyclize to a pyrrole derivative in contrast to ONE, where only a Schiff base product is isolated. The suggested reaction mechanism by quantum-chemical calculations is in a qualitative agreement with experimental yields of isolated products and is also additionally investigated by1 H NMR measurements, FT-IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry experiments.- Published
- 2017
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33. Electronic states of Myricetin. UV-Vis polarization spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations.
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Vojta D, Karlsen EM, and Spanget-Larsen J
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Myricetin (3,3',4',5,5',7'-hexahydroxyflavone) was investigated by linear dichroism spectroscopy on molecular samples partially aligned in stretched poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). At least five electronic transitions in the range 40,000-20,000cm
-1 were characterized with respect to their wavenumbers, relative intensities, and transition moment directions. The observed bands were assigned to electronic transitions predicted with TD-B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2017
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34. Ligand-Dependent Nanoparticle Clustering within Lipid Membranes Induced by Surrounding Medium.
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Šegota S, Vojta D, Kendziora D, Ahmed I, Fruk L, and Baranović G
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- Gold chemistry, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions, Ligands, Molecular Structure, Silver chemistry, Surface Properties, Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine chemistry, Lipid Bilayers chemistry, Metal Nanoparticles chemistry
- Abstract
The interactions between hydrophobic or semihydrophobic gold and silver nanoparticles (NPs) and a dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayer as a model cell membrane in two ionic solutions result in the structural reorganization within the bilayer manifested as locally increased nanomechanical compaction in the vicinity of NP clusters as well as changed overall thermotropic properties. The effects of NP surface charge and hydrophobicity were examined using AFM imaging, force spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. The NP clustering occurred during hydration process of dry films containing both the DMPC molecules and the NPs by the mechanism in which the number of bilayer deformations was reduced by NP clustering. The force spectroscopy showed increased bilayer density around (semi)hydrophobic NP clusters and thus locally increased lateral compaction of the bilayer. The strengthening effect was observed for both the silver and the gold NPs in a high ionic strength solution such as seawater, while it was absent under physiological conditions. The local lipid rearrangement induces the long-range lipid reorganization resulting in the bilayer phase transition shifting toward lower or higher temperatures depending on the solution ionic strength (at the most by -1.0 °C in phosphate buffered saline and at the most by +0.5 °C in seawater).
- Published
- 2015
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35. The exploration of hydrogen bonding properties of 2,6- and 3,5-diethynylpyridine by IR spectroscopy.
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Vojta D, Kovačević G, and Vazdar M
- Abstract
Hydrogen bonding properties of 2,6- and 3,5-diethynylpyridine were analyzed by exploring of their interactions with trimethylphosphate, as hydrogen bond acceptor, or phenol, as hydrogen bond donor, in tetrachloroethene C2Cl4. The employment of IR spectroscopy enabled unravelling of their interaction pattern as well as the determination of their association constants (Kc) and standard reaction enthalpies (ΔrH(⦵)). The association of diethynylpyridines with trimethylphosphate in stoichiometry 1:1 is established through CH⋯O hydrogen bond, accompanied by the secondary interaction between CC moiety and CH3 group of trimethylphosphate. In the complexes with phenol, along with the expected OH⋯N interaction, CC⋯HO interaction is revealed. In contrast to 2,6-diethynylpyridine where the spatial arrangement of hydrogen bond accepting groups enables the simultaneous involvement of phenol OH group in both OH⋯N and OH⋯CC hydrogen bond, in the complex between phenol and 3,5-diethynylpyridine this is not possible. It is postulated that cooperativity effects, arisen from the certain type of resonance-assisted hydrogen bonds, contribute the stability gain of the latter. Associations of diethynylpyridines with trimethylphosphate are characterized as weak (Kc≈0.8-0.9mol(-1)dm(3); -ΔrH(⦵)≈5-8kJmol(-1)), while their complexes with phenol as medium strong (Kc≈5mol(-1)dm(3); -ΔrH(⦵)≈15-35kJmol(-1)). Experimental findings on the studied complexes are supported with the calculations conducted at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory in the gas phase. Two conformers of diethynylpyridine⋯trimethylphosphate dimers are formed via CH⋯O interaction, whereas dimers between phenol and diethynylpyridines are established through OH⋯N interaction., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2015
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36. Ionic strength and composition govern the elasticity of biological membranes. A study of model DMPC bilayers by force- and transmission IR spectroscopy.
- Author
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Šegota S, Vojta D, Pletikapić G, and Baranović G
- Subjects
- Cations, Divalent chemistry, Elasticity, Membrane Fluidity, Microscopy, Atomic Force, Osmolar Concentration, Phase Transition, Seawater chemistry, Spectrophotometry, Infrared, Calcium chemistry, Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine chemistry, Lipid Bilayers chemistry, Magnesium chemistry
- Abstract
Infrared (IR) spectroscopy was used to quantify the ion mixture effect of seawater (SW), particularly the contribution of Mg(2+) and Ca(2+) as dominant divalent cations, on the thermotropic phase behaviour of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-posphocholine (DMPC) bilayers. The changed character of the main transition at 24 °C from sharp to gradual in films and the 1 °C shift of the main transition temperature in dispersions reflect the interactions of lipid headgroups with the ions in SW. Force spectroscopy was used to quantify the nanomechanical hardness of a DMPC supported lipid bilayer (SLB). Considering the electrostatic and ion binding equilibrium contributions while systematically probing the SLB in various salt solutions, we showed that ionic strength had a decisive influence on its nanomechanics. The mechanical hardness of DMPC SLBs in the liquid crystalline phase linearly increases with the increasing fraction of all ion-bound lipids in a series of monovalent salt solutions. It also linearly increases in the gel phase but almost three times faster (the corresponding slopes are 4.9 nN/100 mM and 13.32 nN/100 mM, respectively). We also showed that in the presence of divalent ions (Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)) the bilayer mechanical hardness was unproportionally increased, and that was accompanied with the decrease of Na(+) ion and increase of Cl(-) ion bound lipids. The underlying process is a cooperative and competitive ion binding in both the gel and the liquid crystalline phase. Bilayer hardness thus turned out to be very sensitive to ionic strength as well as to ionic composition of the surrounding medium. In particular, the indicated correlation helped us to emphasize the colligative properties of SW as a naturally occurring complex ion mixture., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2015
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37. The study of hydrogen bonding and π⋯π interactions in phenol⋯ethynylbenzene complex by IR spectroscopy.
- Author
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Vojta D and Vazdar M
- Subjects
- Acetylene chemistry, Ethanol chemistry, Hydrogen Bonding, Kinetics, Molecular Conformation, Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared, Vibration, Acetylene analogs & derivatives, Electrons, Phenol chemistry
- Abstract
Weak hydrogen bonds between phenol and ethynylbenzene in tetrachloroethene were explored by using FTIR spectroscopy. Association constants (Kc) were determined by high dilution method at two temperatures, 20°C and 26°C, and they are, respectively, 0.54±0.09 mol(-1) dm3 and 0.36±0.08 mol(-1) dm3. The position of ethynylbenzene stretching band, when in hydrogen bonding complex with phenol (CC⋯), is proposed to be governed by the interplay of OH⋯π (CC moiety or phenyl ring of ethynylbenzene) and π⋯π (phenyl ring of phenol⋯CC moiety or phenyl ring of ethynylbenzene) interactions. This conclusion is supported by the findings on the complex between ethanol and ethynylbenzene; in the latter, CC⋯ stretching band is shifted to the higher wavenumbers, as expected when ethynylbenzene interacts with hydrogen bond donor. Geometries and energies of the presumed complexes, as well as their vibrational spectra, are predicted by using ab initio calculations. The spectroscopic and thermodynamic data obtained here offer the missing pieces in the present picture of migration of H-atom of phenol OH group between competing hydrogen bond accepting centers on ethynylbenzene., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
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38. The study of secondary effects in vibrational and hydrogen bonding properties of 2- and 3-ethynylpyridine and ethynylbenzene by IR spectroscopy.
- Author
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Vojta D, Matanović I, Kovačević G, and Baranović G
- Subjects
- Acetylene chemistry, Dimerization, Hydrogen Bonding, Kinetics, Spectrophotometry, Infrared, Temperature, Acetylene analogs & derivatives, Pyridines chemistry, Vibration
- Abstract
Weak hydrogen bonds formed by 2- and 3-ethynylpyridine and ethynylbenzene with trimethylphosphate and phenol were characterized by IR spectroscopy and DFT calculations (B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p)). The structure and stability of ethynylpyridines and ethynylbenzene in the gas phase and in the complexes with trimethylphosphate and phenol are discussed in terms of geometry and electronic charge redistribution. Anharmonic effects are taken into account when calculating vibrational wavenumbers of these systems what lead to partial improvement of agreement with experiment. The changes in the electronic charge distribution are behind the frequency shifts of the CC stretching in opposite direction depending on the role the ethyne molecule has in a hydrogen bonded complex (Δν̃=+9 cm(-1) in trimethylphosphate complexes, Δν̃=-3 cm(-1) in phenol complexes). The association constants were determined by keeping the concentrations of proton donors approximately constant and low enough to avoid self-association and the proton acceptors were present in excess. The values obtained for the association constants and enthalpy changes in C2Cl4 (for trimethylphosphate complexes K≈0.5-1.0 mol(-1)dm(3) and -ΔrH≈6-8 kJ mol(-1), for phenol complexes K≈20-40 mol(-1) dm3-ΔrH≈17-22 kJ mol(-1)) are in good agreement with literature data., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
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39. A randomized comparative effectiveness trial of using cable television to deliver diabetes prevention programming.
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Ackermann RT, Sandy LG, Beauregard T, Coblitz M, Norton KL, and Vojta D
- Subjects
- Adult, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity prevention & control, Risk Factors, Self Care methods, Treatment Outcome, United States, Weight Loss, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 prevention & control, Health Education methods, Patient Compliance statistics & numerical data, Patient Education as Topic methods, Television
- Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the use and effectiveness of two "in-home" strategies for delivering diabetes prevention programming using cable television., Methods: An individually randomized, two-arm intervention trial including adults with diabetes risk factors living in two US cities. Interventions involved a 16-session lifestyle intervention delivered via "video-on-demand" cable television, offered alone versus in combination with web-based lifestyle support tools. Repeated measures longitudinal linear regression with imputation of missing observations was used to compare changes in body weight., Results: A total of 306 individuals were randomized and offered the interventions. After 5 months, 265 (87%) participants viewed at least 1, and 110 (36%) viewed ≥9 of the video episodes. A total of 262 (86%) participants completed a 5-month weight measurement. In intention-to-treat analysis with imputation of missing observations, mean weight loss at 5 months for both treatment groups combined was 3.3% (95% CI 0.7-5.0%), regardless of intervention participation (with no differences between randomized groups (P = 0.19)), and was 4.9% (95% CI 2.1-6.5%) for participants who viewed ≥9 episodes., Conclusions: In-home delivery of evidence-based diabetes prevention programming in a reality television format, offered with or without online behavioral support tools, can achieve modest weight losses consistent with past implementation studies of face-to-face programs using similar content., (© 2014 The Authors Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Obesity Society (TOS).)
- Published
- 2014
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40. Effects of a pediatric weight management program with and without active video games a randomized trial.
- Author
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Trost SG, Sundal D, Foster GD, Lent MR, and Vojta D
- Subjects
- Body Mass Index, Child, Evidence-Based Medicine, Female, Humans, Male, Massachusetts, Obesity therapy, Rhode Island, Texas, Treatment Outcome, Exercise Therapy methods, Motor Activity, Overweight therapy, Video Games, Weight Loss
- Abstract
Importance: Active video games may offer an effective strategy to increase physical activity in overweight and obese children. However, the specific effects of active gaming when delivered within the context of a pediatric weight management program are unknown., Objective: To evaluate the effects of active video gaming on physical activity and weight loss in children participating in an evidence-based weight management program delivered in the community., Design, Setting, and Participants: Group-randomized clinical trial conducted during a 16-week period in YMCAs and schools located in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Texas. Seventy-five overweight or obese children (41 girls [55%], 34 whites [45%], 20 Hispanics [27%], and 17 blacks [23%]) enrolled in a community-based pediatric weight management program. Mean (SD) age of the participants was 10.0 (1.7) years; body mass index (BMI) z score, 2.15 (0.40); and percentage overweight from the median BMI for age and sex, 64.3% (19.9%)., Interventions: All participants received a comprehensive family-based pediatric weight management program (JOIN for ME). Participants in the program and active gaming group received hardware consisting of a game console and motion capture device and 1 active game at their second treatment session and a second game in week 9 of the program. Participants in the program-only group were given the hardware and 2 games at the completion of the 16-week program., Main Outcomes and Measures: Objectively measured daily moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity, percentage overweight, and BMI z score., Results: Participants in the program and active gaming group exhibited significant increases in moderate-to-vigorous (mean [SD], 7.4 [2.7] min/d) and vigorous (2.8 [0.9] min/d) physical activity at week 16 (P < .05). In the program-only group, a decline or no change was observed in the moderate-to-vigorous (mean [SD] net difference, 8.0 [3.8] min/d; P = .04) and vigorous (3.1 [1.3] min/d; P = .02) physical activity. Participants in both groups exhibited significant reductions in percentage overweight and BMI z scores at week 16. However, the program and active gaming group exhibited significantly greater reductions in percentage overweight (mean [SD], -10.9%[1.6%] vs -5.5%[1.5%]; P = .02) and BMI z score (-0.25 [0.03] vs -0.11 [0.03]; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Incorporating active video gaming into an evidence-based pediatric weight management program has positive effects on physical activity and relative weight. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01757925.
- Published
- 2014
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41. Growth of molecular diagnostics and genetic testing in the USA, 2008-2011: analysis and implications.
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De Sa J, Carlson B, Caputo N, Vojta D, Sandy L, and Stevens S
- Abstract
Aims: Advances in genomics and molecular diagnostic testing are expanding, but national data on which to base clinical, regulatory and reimbursement policies in the USA are lacking. The study objective is to provide current estimates of utilization/spending trends for private and public payers., Patients & Methods: Healthcare utilization/expenditure claims data for 32 million individuals across the USA in 2008-2011 were analyzed. Genetic testing and molecular diagnostic usage was categorized by major testing groups: infectious disease, cancer and inherited/other acquired conditions., Results: Per-person testing cost grew by 14% per year between 2008 and 2011, primarily resulting from increased utilization. Spending per person for Medicare and Medicaid was higher than for commercially insured patients. Expenditure across the USA was estimated at US$5.5 billion in 2011, up 13% from 2010., Discussion: Greater understanding of usage and technology diffusion requires increased data transparency and granularity. Conclusion & future perspective: The use of genetic testing and molecular diagnostics will grow over the next 5 years, with uncertainty about the precise diffusion trajectory. By strengthening the capacity to capture and analyze trends in this changing area of medicine, we increase our chances of promoting positive change to the benefit of patients.
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- 2013
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42. A coordinated national model for diabetes prevention: linking health systems to an evidence-based community program.
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Vojta D, Koehler TB, Longjohn M, Lever JA, and Caputo NF
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- Adult, Community Health Services economics, Cooperative Behavior, Delivery of Health Care economics, Delivery of Health Care organization & administration, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 economics, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 epidemiology, Evidence-Based Medicine, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Care Costs, Humans, Life Style, Male, Mass Screening methods, Medical Informatics, Middle Aged, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Prediabetic State diagnosis, Prediabetic State epidemiology, United States epidemiology, Community Health Services organization & administration, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 prevention & control, Models, Theoretical, Prediabetic State therapy
- Abstract
Background: Twenty-six million U.S. adults have diabetes, and 79 million have prediabetes. A 2002 Diabetes Prevention Program research study proved the effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention that yielded a 58% reduction in conversion to type 2 diabetes. However, cost per participant was high, complicating efforts to scale up the program., Purpose: UnitedHealth Group (UHG) and the YMCA of the USA, in collaboration with the CDC, sought to develop the infrastructure and business case to scale the congressionally authorized National Diabetes Prevention Program nationwide. Emphasis was placed on developing a model that maintained fidelity to the original 2002 Diabetes Prevention Program research study and could be deployed for a lower cost per participant while yielding similar outcomes., Design: The UHG created the business case and technical and operational infrastructure necessary for nationwide dissemination of the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program (YMCA's DPP), as part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program. The YMCA's DPP is a group-based model of 16 core sessions with monthly follow-up delivered by trained lifestyle coaches., Setting/participants: A variety of mechanisms were used to identify, screen, and encourage enrollment for people with prediabetes into the YMCA's DPP., Intervention: Substantial investments were made in relationship building, business planning, technology, development, and operational design to deliver an effective and affordable 12-month program. The program intervention was conducted July 2010-December 2011. Data were collected on the participants over a 15-month period between September 2010 and December 2011. Data were analyzed in February 2012., Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures were infrastructure (communities involved and personnel trained); engagement (screening and enrollment of people with prediabetes); program outcomes (attendance and weight loss); and service delivery cost of the intervention., Results: In less than 2 years, the YMCA's DPP was effectively scaled to 46 communities in 23 states. More than 500 YMCA Lifestyle Coaches were trained. The program enrolled 2369 participants, and 1723 participants completed the core program at an average service-delivery cost of about $400 each. For those individuals completing the program, average weight loss was about 5%. UHG anticipates that within 3 years, savings from reduced medical spending will outweigh initial costs., Conclusions: Large-scale prevention efforts can be scalable and sustainable with collaboration, health information technology, community-based delivery of evidence-based interventions, and novel payment structures that incentivize efficiency and outcomes linked to better health and lower future costs., (Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2013
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43. Feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a scalable, community-based treatment of childhood obesity.
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Foster GD, Sundal D, McDermott C, Jelalian E, Lent MR, and Vojta D
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- Adolescent, Child, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Intention to Treat Analysis, Male, Quality of Life, Treatment Outcome, Weight Loss, Weight Reduction Programs organization & administration, Community Health Services, Obesity therapy, Weight Reduction Programs methods
- Abstract
Objective: Clinic-based treatments of childhood obesity are effective but typically have limited reach and are costly. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a scalable weight management program for children and teenagers., Methods: Participants were 155 children and their parent/guardian. Children had a mean ± SD age of 11.3 ± 2.8 years, BMI z score of 2.23 ± 0.41, and a percentage overweight of 72.5 ± 34.0. Most (92%) were obese, and nearly half (46.5%) were ≥ 99th percentile for BMI. The primary outcome was change in percentage overweight from baseline to 6 months., Results: At 6 months, children experienced a 3.4 percentage point reduction in percentage overweight (P = .001). Children <13 years had a 4.3 percentage point reduction in percentage overweight, whereas those ≥ 13 years had a 1.0 percentage point reduction. Those who attended a greater number of face-to-face group sessions experienced greater changes in percentage overweight. There were significant improvements in child health-related quality of life as reported by both children and their parents., Conclusions: These data suggest that a scalable, community-based pediatric obesity intervention can result in clinically significant reductions in percentage overweight, as well as improvements in health-related quality of life.
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- 2012
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44. Characterization of intramolecular hydrogen bonds by atomic charges and charge fluxes.
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Baranović G, Biliškov N, and Vojta D
- Abstract
The electronic charge redistribution and the infrared intensities of the two types of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, O-H···O and O-H···π, of o-hydroxy- and o-ethynylphenol, respectively, together with a set of related intermolecular hydrogen bond complexes are described in terms of atomic charges and charge fluxes derived from atomic polar tensors calculated at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The polarizable continuum model shows that both the atomic charges and charge fluxes are strongly dependent on solvent. It is shown that their values for the OH bond in an intramolecular hydrogen bond are not much different from those for the "free" OH bond, but the changes are toward the values found for an intermolecular hydrogen bond. The intermolecular hydrogen bond is characterized not only by the decreased atomic charge but also by the enlarged charge flux term of the same sign producing thus an enormous increase in IR intensity. The overall behavior of the charges and fluxes of the hydrogen atom in OH and ≡CH bonds agree well with the observed spectroscopic characteristics of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The main reason for the differences between the two types of the hydrogen bond lies in the molecular structure because favorable linear proton donor-acceptor arrangement is not possible to achieve within a small molecule. The calculated intensities (in vacuo and in polarizable continuum) are only in qualitative agreement with the measured data.
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- 2012
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45. Translating research into evidence-based practice with potential for population-wide impact.
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Longjohn M and Vojta D
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- Humans, Health Policy, Public Health Practice, Research
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- 2012
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46. Effective interventions for stemming the growing crisis of diabetes and prediabetes: a national payer's perspective.
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Vojta D, De Sa J, Prospect T, and Stevens S
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- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 economics, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 prevention & control, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 therapy, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 economics, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 prevention & control, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 therapy, Evidence-Based Medicine, Humans, Risk Reduction Behavior, United States epidemiology, Diabetes Complications prevention & control, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 epidemiology, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 epidemiology, Prediabetic State prevention & control
- Abstract
Between a fifth and a third of US adults will have diabetes by midcentury, up from one in ten now, according to a government estimate. We project that over the next decade, around 40 million adults could have diabetes and 100 million could be diagnosed with its clinical precursor, prediabetes. Related health care spending could reach $512 billion annually in 2021. Evidence-based interventions can curb diabetes and its clinical complications, but little has been done to implement them on a wide scale. What's needed, among other measures, are new risk-assessment methods to identify subpopulations that will benefit most; the enrollment of consumers in new care models that support and encourage lifestyle change; partnerships with pharmacists, nurses, and health coaches; and new programs in Medicare and Medicaid that encourage patient engagement and lifestyle change.
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- 2012
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47. Health information technology and health system redesign--the Quality Chasm revisited.
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Tuckson RV, Vojta D, and Slavitt AM
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- Diffusion of Innovation, Health Education, Humans, Obesity prevention & control, Organizational Innovation, Patient Education as Topic, Pharmacists, United States, Diabetes Mellitus prevention & control, Diabetes Mellitus therapy, Medical Informatics Applications, Primary Prevention methods
- Abstract
UnitedHealth Group constructed the Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance (DPCA) in a manner consistent with the recommendations for health system redesign outlined in the Institute of Medicine's Crossing the Quality Chasm. This evidence-based, multidisciplinary education and intervention program is enabled by a state-of-the-art health information technology (HIT) infrastructure. DPCA coordinates and connects a variety of interventions through HIT, including community-based services offered by YMCAs and local pharmacists. Our initial experience in operating DPCA gives us confidence that large-scale prevention and disease control management programs make economic sense, are worthy of front-end investment, and can achieve cost-effective results. Others who want to use our model will benefit from policymakers' efforts to prioritize future versions of transaction and coding standards that meet the needs of preventive healthcare as much as they do acute and chronic care.
- Published
- 2010
48. Risk screening in a medicare/medicaid population administrative data versus self report.
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Vojta CL, Vojta DD, TenHave TR, Amaya M, Lavizzo-Mourey R, and Asch DA
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- Aged, Cohort Studies, Female, Health Care Costs, Health Maintenance Organizations economics, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Medical Records, Philadelphia, Probability, Sensitivity and Specificity, Surveys and Questionnaires, Health Maintenance Organizations statistics & numerical data, Health Status Indicators, Medicaid statistics & numerical data, Medicare statistics & numerical data, Patient Readmission statistics & numerical data, Risk Assessment methods
- Abstract
Objective: To compare the abilities of two validated indices, one survey-based and the other database-derived, to prospectively identify high-cost, dual-eligible Medicare/Medicaid members., Design: A longitudinal cohort study., Setting: A Medicaid health maintenance organization in Philadelphia, Pa., Participants: HMO enrollees (N = 558) 65 years and older eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid., Measurements and Main Results: Two hundred ninety six patients responded to a survey containing the Probability of Repeat Admission Questionnaire (Pra) between October and November 1998. Using readily available administrative data, we created an administrative proxy for the Pra. Choosing a cut point of 0.40 for both indices maximized sensitivity at 55% for the administrative proxy and 50% for the survey Pra. This classification yielded 103 high-risk patients by administrative proxy and 73 by survey Pra. High-cost patients averaged at least 2.3 times the resource utilization during the 6-month follow-up. Correlation between the two scores was 0.53, and the scales disagreed on high-cost risk in 78 patients (54 high-cost by administrative proxy only, and 24 high-cost by survey Pra only). These two discordant groups utilized intermediate levels of resources, $2,171 and $2,794, that were not statistically significantly different between the two groups (probability > chi2 =.66). Receiver operating characteristic curve areas (0.68 for survey Pra and administrative proxy for respondents, and 0.67 by administrative proxy for nonrespondents) revealed similar overall discriminative abilities for the two instruments for costs., Conclusions: The Medicaid/Medicare dual-eligible population responded to the survey Pra at a rate of 53%, limiting its practical utility as a screening instrument. Using a cut point of 0.40, the administrative proxy performed as well as the survey Pra in this population and was equally applicable to nonrespondents. The time lag inherent in database screening limits its applicability for new patients, but combining database-driven and survey-based approaches holds promise for targeting patients who might benefit from case management intervention.
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- 2001
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49. [Practical experience with moditen therapy (author's transl)].
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Slavíková V, Borůvková N, Hálková E, Kalvach Z, and Vojta D
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- Adult, Aged, Drug Evaluation, Fluphenazine therapeutic use, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Fluphenazine analogs & derivatives, Schizophrenia drug therapy, Tranquilizing Agents therapeutic use
- Published
- 1975
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