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 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 characteristics
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 statusDiseaseHigh 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
Results 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