2024
Interleukin-16 is increased in dialysis patients but is not a cardiovascular risk factor
Brösecke F, Pfau A, Ermer T, Dein Terra Mota Ribeiro A, Rubenbauer L, Rao V, Burlein S, Genser B, Reichel M, Aronson P, Coca S, Knauf F. Interleukin-16 is increased in dialysis patients but is not a cardiovascular risk factor. Scientific Reports 2024, 14: 11323. PMID: 38760468, PMCID: PMC11101424, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61808-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIL-16 levelsIL-16Dialysis patientsCardiovascular eventsConcentrations of IL-16Kidney failureUremic toxinsCardiovascular diseaseCompared to healthy individualsPlasma oxalate concentrationActivated immune cellsAssociated with cardiovascular diseaseIL-16 concentrationCytokine IL-16Cardiovascular risk factorsNo significant associationPlasma oxalateInflammatory markersImmune cellsCytokine concentrationsInterleukin-16US patientsCohort 1Cardiovascular outcomesHealthy individualsAssociation of patient socioeconomic status with outcomes after palliative treatment for disseminated cancer
Maduka R, Canavan M, Walters S, Ermer T, Zhan P, Kaminski M, Li A, Pichert M, Salazar M, Prsic E, Boffa D. Association of patient socioeconomic status with outcomes after palliative treatment for disseminated cancer. Cancer Medicine 2024, 13: e7028. PMID: 38711364, PMCID: PMC11074703, DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7028.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOptimal quality of careQuality of carePatient socioeconomic statusAssociated with improved qualityAssociated with improved quality of lifeEnd-of-lifeUS cancer populationPalliative treatmentQuality of lifeCox proportional hazards modelsMultivariate logistic regressionInformed decision makingProportional hazards modelFacility characteristicsNon-HispanicAssociated with lower ratesInsurance payer statusImproving informed decision makingCancer populationSocioeconomic statusHispanic ethnicityTreatment usePayer statusBlack raceLogistic regression
2022
Immunotherapy After Chemotherapy and Radiation for Clinical Stage III Lung Cancer
Pichert MD, Canavan ME, Maduka RC, Li AX, Ermer T, Zhan PL, Kaminski M, Udelsman BV, Blasberg JD, Park HS, Goldberg SB, Boffa DJ. Immunotherapy After Chemotherapy and Radiation for Clinical Stage III Lung Cancer. JAMA Network Open 2022, 5: e2224478. PMID: 35925606, PMCID: PMC9353596, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.24478.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStage III non-small cell lung cancerNon-small cell lung cancerClinical stage III non-small cell lung cancerUnresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancerPropensity-matched sampleGeneral US populationSurvival advantageCohort studyLung cancerMultivariable Cox proportional hazards modelsUS populationStage III lung cancerMedian age 66 yearsCox proportional hazards modelNational Cancer DatabaseEfficacy of immunotherapyAge 66 yearsProtocol rangesCell lung cancerClinical trial populationsProportional hazards modelTerms of ageImmunotherapy initiationImmunotherapy recipientsImmunotherapy useAssociation of Insurance Status and Extent of Organ Involvement With Survival Among Patients With Stage IV Cancer
Zhan PL, Canavan ME, Ermer T, Pichert MD, Li AX, Maduka RC, Boffa DJ. Association of Insurance Status and Extent of Organ Involvement With Survival Among Patients With Stage IV Cancer. JAMA Network Open 2022, 5: e2217581. PMID: 35713907, PMCID: PMC9206181, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.17581.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociation Between Food and Drug Administration Approval and Disparities in Immunotherapy Use Among Patients With Cancer in the US
Ermer T, Canavan ME, Maduka RC, Li AX, Salazar MC, Kaminski MF, Pichert MD, Zhan PL, Mase V, Kluger H, Boffa DJ. Association Between Food and Drug Administration Approval and Disparities in Immunotherapy Use Among Patients With Cancer in the US. JAMA Network Open 2022, 5: e2219535. PMID: 35771575, PMCID: PMC9247736, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.19535.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-small cell lung cancerRenal cell carcinomaUse of immunotherapyFDA approvalImmunotherapy useCohort studyClinical trialsNovel therapiesStage IV non-small cell lung cancerMultivariable logistic regression modelingFirst checkpoint inhibitorCheckpoint inhibitor therapyNational Cancer DatabasePatients 20 yearsCell lung cancerSocioeconomic strataTreatment of patientsDrug Administration approvalLife-saving treatmentReceipt of immunotherapyLogistic regression modelingSocioeconomic characteristicsImmunotherapy administrationCheckpoint inhibitorsPatient characteristicsUnderstanding the Implications of Medicaid Expansion for Cancer Care in the US
Ermer T, Walters SL, Canavan ME, Salazar MC, Li AX, Doonan M, Boffa DJ. Understanding the Implications of Medicaid Expansion for Cancer Care in the US. JAMA Oncology 2022, 8: 139-148. PMID: 34762101, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.4323.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUS cancer populationCancer careMedicaid expansionCancer populationEligibility criteriaHealth policy initiativesHealth policy factorsOncology teamAffordable Care ActInsurance statusOncological careMedicaid coverageExpansion of MedicaidUninsured individualsCancer treatmentInsurance profileCareInterpretation of findingsPatient ProtectionHealth insuranceMedicaidCare ActSignificant changes
2021
The rural Uganda non-communicable disease (RUNCD) study: prevalence and risk factors of self-reported NCDs from a cross sectional survey
Siddharthan T, Kalyesubula R, Morgan B, Ermer T, Rabin TL, Kayongo A, Munana R, Anton N, Kast K, Schaeffner E, Kirenga B, Knauf F. The rural Uganda non-communicable disease (RUNCD) study: prevalence and risk factors of self-reported NCDs from a cross sectional survey. BMC Public Health 2021, 21: 2036. PMID: 34743687, PMCID: PMC8572568, DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12123-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSelf-reported hypertensionSelf-reported chronic diseasesNon-communicable Disease studyChronic disease informationRural Ugandan districtSelf-reported diseasesDiagnosis of diabetesCross-sectional surveyMiddle-income settingsBaseline demographicsMale sexKidney diseasePatient cohortResultsA totalHealth districtRisk factorsChronic diseasesDisease cohortHypertensionLower oddsNCD prevalenceAverage ageSectional surveyHealth statusDiseaseBaseline Evaluation of Cancer Mortality in US States that Expanded Medicaid vs Nonexpansion States
Salazar MC, Kaminski MF, Canavan ME, Maduka RC, Li AX, Ermer T, Boffa DJ. Baseline Evaluation of Cancer Mortality in US States that Expanded Medicaid vs Nonexpansion States. JAMA Oncology 2021, 7: 1394-1395. PMID: 34292299, PMCID: PMC8299357, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.2582.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHigh Oxalate Concentrations Correlate with Increased Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death in Dialysis Patients
Pfau A, Ermer T, Coca S, Tio MC, Genser B, Reichel M, Finkelstein FO, März W, Wanner C, Waikar SS, Eckardt KU, Aronson P, Drechsler C, Knauf F. High Oxalate Concentrations Correlate with Increased Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death in Dialysis Patients. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2021, 32: 2375-2385. PMID: 34281958, PMCID: PMC8729829, DOI: 10.1681/asn.2020121793.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSudden cardiac deathCardiac deathCardiovascular eventsKidney failurePrimary composite cardiovascular end pointComposite cardiovascular end pointGerman Diabetes Dialysis StudyCox proportional hazards modelCardiovascular end pointsCohort of patientsNovel risk factorsProportional hazards modelCubic spline modelingCause mortalityChronic dialysisCardiovascular mortalityDialysis patientsStudy cohortUS patientsRisk regressionRisk factorsEuropean patientsSerum oxalate concentrationClinical significanceSeparate cohort
2020
Association of Survival With Adjuvant Chemotherapy Among Patients With Early-Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer With vs Without High-Risk Clinicopathologic Features
Pathak R, Goldberg SB, Canavan M, Herrin J, Hoag JR, Salazar MC, Papageorge M, Ermer T, Boffa DJ. Association of Survival With Adjuvant Chemotherapy Among Patients With Early-Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer With vs Without High-Risk Clinicopathologic Features. JAMA Oncology 2020, 6: 1741-1750. PMID: 32940636, PMCID: PMC7499246, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.4232.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNode-negative non-small cell lung cancerHigh-risk pathologic featuresNon-small cell lung cancerAdjuvant chemotherapyCell lung cancerPathologic featuresTumor sizeSurvival benefitCohort studyLung cancerNode-negative NSCLCEarly-stage non-small cell lung cancerCox proportional hazards regression modelHigh-risk clinicopathologic featuresProportional hazards regression modelsNational Cancer DatabaseRetrospective cohort studyTreatment-naive patientsAdjuvant chemotherapy useHigh-risk featuresAssociation of survivalHazards regression modelsImmortal time biasChemotherapy useEligible patientsResults of COVID-minimal Surgical Pathway During Surge-phase of COVID-19 Pandemic
Boffa DJ, Judson BL, Billingsley KG, Del Rossi E, Hindinger K, Walters S, Ermer T, Ratner E, Mitchell MR, Laurans MS, Johnson DC, Yoo PS, Morton JM, Zurich HB, Davis K, Ahuja N. Results of COVID-minimal Surgical Pathway During Surge-phase of COVID-19 Pandemic. Annals Of Surgery 2020, 272: e316-e320. PMID: 33086321, PMCID: PMC7668334, DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004455.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHospital-acquired COVID-19 infectionCOVID-19 infectionSurgical pathwayCOVID-19 hospital admissionsCOVID-19 pandemicCommon surgical indicationsUrgent cancer treatmentOutcomes of patientsCOVID-19 patientsCOVID-19 testingCOVID-19 positive peoplePathway patientsPostoperative periodTimely surgeryHospital admissionMedian ageSurgical indicationsUrgent operationMedian lengthCancer patientsGenitourinary tractEmergency roomBACKGROUND DATASurgical proceduresPatient status
2016
Oxalate, inflammasome, and progression of kidney disease
Ermer T, Eckardt KU, Aronson PS, Knauf F. Oxalate, inflammasome, and progression of kidney disease. Current Opinion In Nephrology & Hypertension 2016, 25: 363-371. PMID: 27191349, PMCID: PMC4891250, DOI: 10.1097/mnh.0000000000000229.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsChronic kidney diseaseProgressive renal failureRenal inflammationRenal failurePlasma oxalateKidney diseaseInflammasome activationElevated plasma oxalate levelsNOD-like receptor familyProgressive renal damageGlomerular filtration rateMore rapid progressionWarrants clinical trialsPlasma oxalate levelsRenal damageEnteric hyperoxaluriaMacrophage infiltrationIL-1βFiltration rateClinical trialsRapid progressionInflammasome proteinsMice protectsUrinary oxalatePyrin domain