Lindsey Scierka, MD, MPH
Clinical FellowAbout
Research
Publications
Featured Publications
The association of depression with mortality and major adverse limb event outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Scierka LE, Mena-Hurtado C, Ahmed ZV, Yousef S, Arham A, Grimshaw AA, Harris KM, Burg M, Vriens PW, Heyligers J, Lee M, Yazgan I, Smolderen KG. The association of depression with mortality and major adverse limb event outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2022, 320: 169-177. PMID: 36179780, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.098.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor adverse limb eventsPeripheral artery diseaseAssociation of depressionCause mortalityArtery diseaseDepressive symptomsSystematic reviewAdverse limb eventsAdverse prognostic outcomeCoronary artery diseaseRisk of biasImportant comorbidityPoor outcomeAdverse outcomesPrognostic outcomesPooled resultsRisk factorsObservational studyTreatment statusLimb eventsDepression severityPatientsLarger sample sizeMortalityRisk estimatesPsychosocial and socioeconomic factors are most predictive of health status in patients with claudication
Scierka L, Peri-Okonny P, Romain G, Cleman J, Spertus J, Fitridge R, Secemsky E, Patel M, Gosch K, Mena-Hurtado C, Smolderen K. Psychosocial and socioeconomic factors are most predictive of health status in patients with claudication. Journal Of Vascular Surgery 2024, 79: 1473-1482.e5. PMID: 38266885, PMCID: PMC11180544, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2024.01.021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPeripheral Artery QuestionnairePeripheral Artery Questionnaire summary scoresPeripheral arterial diseaseHealth statusSummary scoreSymptomatic peripheral arterial diseaseSocial supportInsurance statusPAD-specific health statusHierarchical multivariable linear regression modelSocioeconomic patient characteristicsLow social supportPeripheral artery disease cohortPeripheral artery questionnaire scoresImprove health statusComparative effectiveness researchDiagnosis of depressionPatient characteristicsMultivariate linear regression modelPrediction of health statusDepression scoresLinear regression modelsAge of patientsDuration of symptomsAnxiety scoresThe shifting care and outcomes for patients with endangered limbs – Critical limb ischemia (SCOPE-CLI) registry overview of study design and rationale
Scierka LE, Mena-Hurtado C, Shishehbor MH, Spertus JA, Nagpal S, Babrowski T, Bunte MC, Politano A, Humphries M, Chung J, Kirksey L, Alabi O, Soukas P, Parikh S, Faizer R, Fitridge R, Provance J, Romain G, McMillan N, Stone N, Scott K, Fuss C, Pacheco CM, Gosch K, Harper-Brooks A, Smolderen KG, Consortium O. The shifting care and outcomes for patients with endangered limbs – Critical limb ischemia (SCOPE-CLI) registry overview of study design and rationale. IJC Heart & Vasculature 2022, 39: 100971. PMID: 35198727, PMCID: PMC8850321, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2022.100971.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCritical limb ischemiaTreatment preferencesPeripheral artery diseaseProspective observational registryPatient-centered outcomesPatterns of carePoor wound healingHealth status outcomesProcess of careCLI careObservational registryLimb ischemiaPatient characteristicsArtery diseaseVascular centersVital statusMean agePatient preferencesPatient's perspectiveSevere formPatientsPsychosocial factorsStatus outcomesHealth statusCare experiences
2026
High Community Distress is Linked to Increased Long-Term Mortality and Stroke but not Short-Term Readmission Risk in Patients Undergoing Carotid Endarterectomy
Pajarillo C, Romain G, Cleman J, Scierka L, Grubman S, Schenck C, Kluger J, Smolderen K, Mena-Hurtado C. High Community Distress is Linked to Increased Long-Term Mortality and Stroke but not Short-Term Readmission Risk in Patients Undergoing Carotid Endarterectomy. JVS-Vascular Insights 2026, 100411. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsvi.2026.100411.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDistressed Communities IndexLow distress groupDistress groupReadmission riskCommunity distressLong-term mortalityCumulative incidenceCox proportional hazards regression modelsProportional hazards regression modelsRisk of mortalityHazards regression modelsSocioeconomic disparitiesMedicare claimsShort-term readmissionFine-Gray modelTargeted interventionsSocioeconomic distressMortality outcomesMortality riskStroke riskDistressZip-codeReadmissionRegression modelsFine-GrayBiopsychosocial predictors of long-term major amputation following peripheral vascular intervention in chronic limb-threatening ischemia using a machine learning algorithm approach
Joodi G, Romain G, Cleman J, Rendon I, Tabet R, Scierka L, Rahman M, Vashist A, Mubarak E, Tapia C, Smolderen K, Mena-Hurtado C. Biopsychosocial predictors of long-term major amputation following peripheral vascular intervention in chronic limb-threatening ischemia using a machine learning algorithm approach. JVS-Vascular Insights 2026, 4: 100348. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsvi.2025.100348.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChronic limb-threatening ischemiaAmputation riskPeripheral vascular interventionsBiopsychosocial factorsBiopsychosocial predictorsMajor amputationLimb-threatening ischemiaRisk factorsDelivery of individualized careHigh riskCardiovascular risk factorsBelow-the-kneeIndividualized careLimb outcomesClinical risk factorsFunctional statusVascular interventionsMultidisciplinary involvementBehavioral factorsAmputationQuality InitiativeFemale sexPre-procedural variablesPatient characteristicsOutcome data
2025
Imaging practices following peripheral vascular intervention in chronic limb-threatening ischemia and association with amputation outcomes
Smolderen K, Rahman M, Romain G, Scierka L, Cleman J, Knight D, Vashist A, Mena-Hurtado C. Imaging practices following peripheral vascular intervention in chronic limb-threatening ischemia and association with amputation outcomes. Vascular Medicine 2025, 31: 35-46. PMID: 41395888, DOI: 10.1177/1358863x251379799.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChronic limb-threatening ischemiaMedian odds ratioIntraclass correlation coefficientPeripheral vascular interventionsAmputation outcomesLimb-threatening ischemiaAmputation rateResults:Access to careImaging practicesHigher amputation rateImaging testsMajor amputationHigher RatesOdds ratioMethods:Significant site variablesVascular interventionsAmputationSymptom statusFollow-up imaging protocolsVascular Quality Initiative dataPropensity-matched cohortInterventionCorrelation coefficientAssociation between depressive symptoms and health status outcomes in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease
Jacque F, Mubarak E, Romain G, Poghni P, Cleman J, Mares A, Callegari S, Scierka L, Mena-Hurtado C, Smolderen K. Association between depressive symptoms and health status outcomes in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease. Journal Of Psychosomatic Research 2025, 196: 112339. PMID: 40753799, PMCID: PMC12455933, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2025.112339.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeripheral Artery QuestionnaireHealth status outcomesPeripheral artery questionnaire scoresPeripheral arterial diseaseDepressive symptomsHealth statusStatus outcomesIntegration of depression managementPeripheral artery disease careDepression severityBaseline health statusPatient Health QuestionnaireBaseline depressive symptomsSevere depressive symptomsArtery diseaseAssociated with adverse clinical outcomesSymptomatic peripheral arterial diseaseAdverse clinical outcomesDepression managementSpecialty careHealth QuestionnairePropensity-matched cohortPHQ-8Summary scoreClinical outcomesLatent Health Status Trajectories in Individuals With New or Worsening Claudication Symptoms
Grubman S, Romain G, Cleman J, Scierka L, Pajarillo C, Kluger J, Mena-Hurtado C, Smolderen K. Latent Health Status Trajectories in Individuals With New or Worsening Claudication Symptoms. Journal Of The American Heart Association 2025, 14: e039455. PMID: 40530482, PMCID: PMC12449950, DOI: 10.1161/jaha.124.039455.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHealth status trajectoriesPeripheral artery disease careStatus trajectoriesDisease careHealth statusClaudication symptomsTrajectory subgroupsPeripheral Artery QuestionnaireVascular specialty clinicsPeripheral artery questionnaire scoresHierarchical multivariable logistic regressionImprove health statusMultivariate logistic regressionClinically meaningful thresholdsRegistry of patientsPsychosocial factorsBiopsychosocial modelDepressive symptomsSpecialty clinicsAlcohol use disorderQuestionnaire scoresRecovery trajectoriesLogistic regressionHealthLatent trajectory modelsAssociation between guideline-directed medical therapy and reintervention risk following peripheral vascular interventions in patients with peripheral artery disease
Callegari S, Romain G, Capuano I, Cleman J, Scierka L, Smolderen K, Mena-Hurtado C. Association between guideline-directed medical therapy and reintervention risk following peripheral vascular interventions in patients with peripheral artery disease. Vascular Medicine 2025, 30: 293-301. PMID: 39992181, DOI: 10.1177/1358863x251320347.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGuideline-directed medical therapyGuideline-directed medical therapy ratesPeripheral vascular interventionsPeripheral arterial diseaseReintervention outcomesReintervention riskMedical therapyArtery diseaseVascular interventionsAngiotensin receptor blockersCompeting Risk AnalysisScore-matched cohortReceipt of statinsPost-PVIAngiotensin-converting enzymeReceptor blockersReinterventionMedicare outcomesMedication adherencePatientsRegistry dataTherapyOutcomesReceiptRiskDefining Thresholds for Meaningful Health Status Changes Following Transfemoral Carotid Artery Stenting
Kluger J, Romain G, Mena‐Hurtado C, Grubman S, Pajarillo C, Cleman J, Scierka L, Smolderen K. Defining Thresholds for Meaningful Health Status Changes Following Transfemoral Carotid Artery Stenting. Catheterization And Cardiovascular Interventions 2025, 105: 927-937. PMID: 39789704, DOI: 10.1002/ccd.31410.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMinimal Clinically Important DifferenceHealth status changesHealth statusSF-36Visual analog scaleEQ-5DDistribution-based MCIDPhysical component scoreCarotid artery stentingDisease-specific instrumentHealth status improvementTransfemoral carotid artery stentingSymptom statusClinically Important DifferenceTF-CASStatus changesGeneric instrumentsArtery stentingRegistry dataComponent scoresImportant differencePatients no changeStatus improvementAsymptomatic carotid stenosisHealth
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News
News
- August 14, 2024
Peripheral Artery Disease Treatment: Changing the Status Quo
- April 01, 2024
Yale Faculty Present Groundbreaking Clinical Research at the 2024 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions
- July 11, 2023
Eleven future cardiologists join the Yale Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Program
- February 15, 2023
Discoveries & Impact (February 2023)