Browsing by Author "Conwell, Darwin"

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    Chronic pancreatitis: Pediatric and adult cohorts show similarities in disease progress despite different risk factors
    (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2020-04) Schwarzenberg, Sarah J.; Uc, Aliye; Zimmerman, Bridget; Wilschanski, Michael; Wilcox, C. Mel; Whitcomb, David C.; Werlin, Steven L.; Troendle, David; Tang, Gong; Slivka, Adam; Singh, Vikesh K.; Sherman, Stuart; Shah, Uzma; Sandhu, Bimaljit S.; Romagnuolo, Joseph; Rhee, Sue; Pohl, John F.; Perito, Emily R.; Ooi, Chee Y.; Nathan, Jaimie D.; Muniraj, Thiruvengadam; Morinville, Veronique D.; McFerron, Brian; Mascarenhas, Maria; Maqbool, Asim; Liu, Quin; Lin, Tom K.; Lewis, Michele; Husain, Sohail Z.; Himes, Ryan; Heyman, Melvin B.; Guda, Nalini; Gonska, Tanja; Giefer, Matthew J.; Gelrud, Andres; Gariepy, Cheryl E.; Gardner, Timothy B.; Freedman, Steven D.; Forsmark, Christopher E.; Fishman, Douglas S.; Cote, Gregory A.; Conwell, Darwin; Brand, Randall E.; Bellin, Melena; Barth, Bradley; Banks, Peter A.; Anderson, Michelle A.; Amann, Stephen T.; Alkaade, Samer; Abu-El-Haija, Maisam; Abberbock, Judah N.; Lowe, Mark E.; Yadav, Dhiraj; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Objectives: To investigate the natural history of chronic pancreatitis (CP), patients in the North American Pancreatitis Study2 (NAPS2, adults) and INternational Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE (INSPPIRE, pediatric) were compared. Methods: Demographics, risk factors, disease duration, management and outcomes of 224 children and 1,063 adults were compared using appropriate statistical tests for categorical and continuous variables. Results: Alcohol was a risk in 53% of adults and 1% of children (p<0.0001); tobacco in 50% of adults and 7% of children (p<0.0001). Obstructive factors were more common in children (29% vs 19% in adults, p=0.001). Genetic risk factors were found more often in children. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency was similar (children 26% vs adult 33%, p=0.107). Diabetes was more common in adults than children (36% vs 4% respectively, p<0.0001). Median emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and missed days of work/school were similar across the cohorts. As a secondary analysis, NAPS2 subjects with childhood onset (NAPS2-CO) were compared to INSPPIRE subjects. These two cohorts were more similar than the total INSPPIRE and NAPS2 cohorts, including for genetic risk factors. The only risk factor significantly more common in the NAPS2-CO cohort compared with the INSPPIRE cohort was alcohol (9% NAPS2-CO vs 1% INSPPIRE cohorts, p=0.011). Conclusions: Despite disparity in age of onset, children and adults with CP exhibit similarity in demographics, CP treatment, and pain. Differences between groups in radiographic findings and diabetes prevalence may be related to differences in risk factors associated with disease and length of time of CP.
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    Dynamic changes in the pancreatitis activity scoring system during hospital course in a multicenter, prospective cohort
    (Wiley, 2021) Paragomi, Pedram; Tuft, Marie; Pothoulakis, loannis; Singh, Vikesh K.; Stevens, Tyler; Nawaz, Haq; Easler, Jeffrey J.; Thakkar, Shyam; Cote, Gregory A.; Lee, Peter J.; Akshintala, Venkata; Kamal, Ayesha; Gougol, Amir; Evans Phillips, Anna; Machicado, Jorge D.; Whitcomb, David C.; Greer, Phil J.; Buxbaum, James L.; Hart, Phil; Conwell, Darwin; Tang, Gong; Wu, Bechien U.; Papachristou, Georgios I.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background and aim: The primary aim was to validate the Pancreatitis Activity Scoring System (PASS) in a multicenter prospectively ascertained acute pancreatitis (AP) cohort. Second, we investigated the association of early PASS trajectories with disease severity and length of hospital stay (LOS). Methods: Data were prospectively collected through the APPRENTICE consortium (2015-2018). AP severity was categorized based on revised Atlanta classification. Delta PASS (ΔPASS) was calculated by subtracting activity score from baseline value. PASS trajectories were compared between severity subsets. Subsequently, the cohort was subdivided into three LOS subgroups as short (S-LOS): 2-3 days; intermediate (I-LOS): 3-7 days; and long (L-LOS): ≥7 days. The generalized estimating equations model was implemented to compare PASS trajectories. Results: There were 434 subjects analyzed including 322 (74%) mild, 86 (20%) moderately severe, and 26 (6%) severe AP. Severe AP subjects had the highest activity levels and the slowest rate of decline in activity (P = 0.039). Focusing on mild AP, L-LOS subjects (34%) had 28 points per day slower decline; whereas, S-LOS group (13%) showed 34 points per day sharper decrease compared with I-LOS (53%; P < 0.001). We noticed an outlier subset with a median admission-PASS of 466 compared with 140 in the rest. Morphine equivalent dose constituted 80% of the total PASS in the outliers (median morphine equivalent dose score = 392), compared with only 25% in normal-range subjects (score = 33, P value < 0.001). Conclusions: This study highlighted that PASS can quantify AP activity. Significant differences in PASS trajectories were found both in revised Atlanta classification severity and LOS groups, which can be harnessed in AP monitoring/management (ClincialTrials.gov number, NCT03075618).
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    Promoting a more diverse and inclusive research workforce through the research scholars program
    (Springer Nature, 2024-01-30) Schoenberg, Nancy E.; Robinson, Jimmy; McGladrey, Margaret; Cassis, Lisa A.; Conwell, Darwin; Pearson, Kevin J.; Tannock, Lisa R.; Wilcock, Donna; White, Stephanie; Neurology, School of Medicine
    Background: Novel and comprehensive approaches are needed to address shortcomings in the diversity and inclusiveness of the scientific workforce. In response to this need and informed by multiple programs and data sources, we created the Research Scholars Program (RSP). The RSP is a yearlong program for early-career faculty with an overall objective to overcome barriers to the academic success, retention, progression, and promotion of groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research. The goal of the RSP is to increase research confidence and productivity, build a supportive research community, and reduce isolation by providing personal and group research enrichment to junior faculty through professional development, mentorship, and networking. Methods: We adapted evidence-based approaches for our institutional context and vetted the RSP across our campus. The resulting RSP consists of three main elements: (1) five levels of Mosaic Mentorship; (2) group and tailored professional development programming; and (3) scientific and social networking. To determine the potential of the RSP to improve research confidence critical to success, we used a modified shortened version of the Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory (CRAI-12) to assess participants' confidence in performing a variety of research tasks before and after program participation. We collected information about retention, promotion, and grants submitted and awarded. Additionally, we conducted semi-structured exit interviews with each scholar after program participation to identify programmatic strengths and areas for improvement. Data for Cohorts 1 and 2 (N = 12) were analyzed. Results: Our assessment finds, with one exception, increasing confidence in participants' research skills across all items, ranging from 0.4 (4.7%) to 2.6 (40.6%). In their exit interviews, the Research Scholars (RS) described their improved productivity and increased sense of belonging and support from others. Research Scholars noted numerous components of the RSP as strengths, including the Mosaic Mentorship model, professional development programming, and opportunities for both informal and formal interactions. Respondents identified time pressure, a lack of feedback, and unclear expectations of the various mentorship roles as areas in which the program can improve. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate that the RSP is successful in building the research confidence of underrepresented and disadvantaged early-career faculty. While this report focuses on the development and protocol of the RSP, additional cohorts and data will provide the evidence base to support dissemination as a national model of research professional development. Such programming is critical to ensure sustainable support structures, institutional networks, infrastructure, and resources that will improve discovery and equity through inclusive excellence.
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    Secretin-Enhanced MRCP: How and Why—AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review
    (American Roentgen Ray Society, 2021-05) Swensson, Jordan; Zaheer, Atif; Conwell, Darwin; Sandrasegaran, Kumar; Manfredi, Riccardo; Tirkes, Temel; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Secretin-enhanced MRCP (S-MRCP) has advantages over standard MRCP for imaging of the pancreaticobiliary tree. Through the use of secretin to induce fluid production from the pancreas and leveraging of fluid-sensitive MRCP sequences, S-MRCP facilitates visualization of ductal anatomy, and the findings provide insight into pancreatic function, allowing radiologists to provide additional insight into a range of pancreatic conditions. This narrative review provides detailed information on the practical implementation of S-MRCP, including patient preparation, logistics of secretin administration, and dynamic secretin-enhanced MRCP acquisition. Also discussed are radiologists' interpretation and reporting of S-MRCP examinations, including assessments of dynamic compliance of the main pancreatic duct and of duodenal fluid volume. Established indications for S-MRCP include pancreas divisum, anomalous pancreaticobiliary junction, Santorinicele, Wirsungocele, chronic pancreatitis, main pancreatic duct stenosis, and assessment of complex postoperative anatomy. Equivocal or controversial indications are also described along with an approach to such indications. These indications include acute and recurrent acute pancreatitis, pancreatic exocrine function, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, and pancreatic neoplasms.