News
GLP1 receptor agonists are more effective than DPP4 inhibitors in reducing adverse cardiovascular events in veterans with diabetes, says Roumie
May. 15, 2023—GLP1 receptor agonists — a class of diabetes medications — are associated with fewer major adverse cardiovascular events than another type of diabetes drug (DPP4 inhibitors) in older veterans with no prior heart disease. The findings, reported May 9 in Annals of Internal Medicine, will aid clinicians in choosing a diabetes drug regimen for older patients....
Pettit and Vanderbilt colleagues discuss the dangers of misinformation regarding the HIV epidemic
May. 12, 2023—We write as infectious diseases specialists who live and work as HIV physicians and researchers in Tennessee to correct the record regarding numerous falsehoods in the guest opinion column on April 25 entitled: “Why Tennessee’s decision to reject federal AIDS funding was the right move”. The effectiveness of HIV antiretroviral treatment is unequivocal. As a result...
Antoon investigates psychiatric comorbidities in adolescents and children to better understand self-harm risks
May. 10, 2023—The United States is in the midst of a mental health crisis with rising rates of hospitalization for suicide and self-harm events among children and adolescents. A recent study, “Characteristics Associated with Serious Self-Harm Events in Children and Adolescents,” set to be published in the June issue of Pediatrics, looked at how best to determine which children...
Heerman named Chief of General Pediatrics
May. 9, 2023—Bill Heerman, MD, MPH, associate professor of Pediatrics, has been named chief of the Division of General Pediatrics, effective May 1. Heerman, who has spent his entire career at Vanderbilt, was selected following a national search led by Kathryn Edwards, MD, who retired at the end of 2022, and S. Todd Callahan, MD, MPH, professor...
Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases can alter upper respiratory tract microbiota for several weeks, says Rosas-Salazar
May. 8, 2023—The microbes that live in our upper respiratory tract (URT microbiota) play a role in respiratory health. Disturbances of the URT microbiota during respiratory infections can impact disease severity, immune response, and even development of chronic lung diseases such as asthma. Justin Turner, MD, PhD, Suman Das, PhD, and colleagues used ribosomal RNA gene sequencing to...
Rise in pinkeye cases may be associated with Covid-19, says Schaffner
May. 5, 2023—Pinkeye — an inflamed, itchy and painful eye — is common during allergy season. But now some doctors are concerned the ailment may also be associated with a new coronavirus subvariant. Health experts say they have not conclusively linked the condition, formally called conjunctivitis, to the subvariant Arcturus. But anecdotal reports suggest the subvariant may produce fever and conjunctivitis,...
Fritz discusses risks associated with increased food insecurity in Tennessee
May. 4, 2023—A rising number of Tennessee families are choosing to skip meals or change their spending habits as food costs continue to increase. In a Fall 2022 poll of more than 1,000 Tennessee parents, the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy found that over 40% of families reported low or very low food security — a 10% increase...
Imdad finds stool transplants more effective than antibiotics for treating recurring, life-threatening gut infections
May. 3, 2023—A new Cochrane Review has found that, compared with standard antibiotic treatment, stool transplantation can increase the number of people recovering from Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection, a condition which causes potentially life-threatening diarrhea. 77 percent of people who received a stool transplant did not experience reinfection within eight weeks, compared to 40 percent of those...
Theobald appointed Chief of Staff for Corporate Clinical Affairs and SVP for Clinical Affairs
May. 2, 2023—Cecelia Theobald, MD, MPH, associate professor of Medicine and executive vice chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Medicine, has been appointed as Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Chief of Staff for Corporate Clinical Affairs and Senior Vice President for Clinical Affairs. Theobald’s appointment is effective July 1. Theobald will assume a number of responsibilities...
Cooper investigates professionalism and interpersonal communication skills among physicians-in-training and likelihood of patient complaints
May. 1, 2023—The first study to examine evaluation scores for professionalism and interpersonal communication skills among physicians-in-training and what happens afterward as these doctors begin their practice was reported April 11 in JAMA Network Open. The study tracked 9,340 early-career physicians from across the country. The study finds a strong association between lower ratings for these competencies among residents in...
Hartert finds early RSV infection linked to significantly increased risk of asthma in children
Apr. 28, 2023—Severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has long been associated with the onset of childhood wheezing diseases, but the relationship between RSV infection during infancy and the development of childhood asthma has remained unclear. A new observational study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers has found that RSV infection in the first year of life...
Marmor finds adding biomarkers to predictive model algorithms for Indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPNs) helpful in expedition of cancer diagnoses and less invasive than current screening methods
Apr. 27, 2023—Indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPNs) are a common finding on CT imaging of the lungs and often require costly and invasive testing to diagnose. IPN diagnosis is especially difficult in regions like Middle Tennessee where fungal diseases such as histoplasmosis are endemic. Hannah Marmor, MD, MPH, and colleagues combined imaging and blood biomarkers with the Mayo...
Anxiety can impact hypersensitivities in women, contributing to an overactive bladder, says Reynolds
Apr. 26, 2023—A common feature associated with an overactive bladder is elevated anxiety. While this link has been demonstrated in animal studies, no human studies have been conducted to evaluate the link between hypersensitivity symptoms in women with overactive bladder and anxiety. W. Stuart Reynolds, MD, MPH, and colleagues assessed 120 women with overactive bladder for associations...
Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Care Program likely to incorporate shared medical appointments into their care delivery model, says Liu
Apr. 25, 2023—A patient recently looked around a conference room full of other patients and their health care providers and shared how this group had helped her open up and feel supported about her health concerns: “Y’all know us. It’s kind of like family here.” The Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Care Program (VICP) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center is...
MPH student Layan Ibrahim named 2023-2024 Luce Scholar
Apr. 24, 2023—Layan Ibrahim, Master of Public Health Class of 2023, was named to the 2023–24 class of Luce Scholars. The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship program launched by the Henry Luce Foundation to enhance the understanding of Asia among potential leaders in American society. The Luce Scholars Program aims to provide young scholars who have...