Browsing by Author "Robison, L."

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    Exploring Cumulative Disadvantage, Telomere Length, and Breast Cancer Among Black and White Women
    (Innovation in Aging, 2017) Latham-Mintus, K.; Weathers, T.; Irby-Shasanmi, A.; Bigatti, Silvia M.; Storniolo, A.; Robison, L.; Telomere Laboratory, I.
    Objectives: Cumulative disadvantage (CD) is a concept that recognizes the influence of social determinants on health over the lifecourse—emphasizing accumulated stressors as contributors to physiological damage. The shortening of telomeres has been found to have a direct relationship with increased cancer incidence and overall health. The purpose of this research is to develop a triangulated and biologically validated CD instrument to explore breast cancer disparities among Black and White women. Methods: We recruited a purposeful sample of 15 White and 15 Black pre-menopausal women (ages 25–50 years) who had donated normal tissue to the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank. Semi-structured qualitative interviews, designed to investigate participants’ exposure to lifetime stressors, were conducted. Drawing from the qualitative interviews and previous research, a quantitative survey instrument was developed to capture the range of stressors experienced by our sample of women. All respondents completed the quantitative survey and their telomere length was assessed using DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Results: Qualitative and quantitative assessments of CD were consistent across childhood, adult, and lifetime stressors. Black respondents reported more childhood stressors (t=-2.28, p=0.03), adult stressors (t=-1.87, p=0.07), and lifetime stressors (t=-2.17, p=0.04); however, there were no significant differences in subjective assessments of the perceived impact of stress on health. There was some evidence of shortened telomere length among Black respondents with more CD. Discussion: Preliminary analyses provide evidence of triangulation. Future research will further explore associations between CD and telomere length among a larger sample (N=100) of Black and White American women.
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    GH safety workshop position paper: a critical appraisal of recombinant human GH therapy in children and adults
    (Bioscientifica, 2016-02) Allen, D. B.; Backeljauw, P.; Bidlingmaier, M.; Biller, B. M. K.; Boguszewski, M.; Burman, P.; Butler, G.; Chihara, K.; Christiansen, J.; Cianfarani, S.; Clayton, P.; Clemmons, D.; Cohen, P.; Darendeliler, F.; Deal, C.; Dunger, D.; Erfurth, E. M.; Fuqua, J. S.; Grimberg, A.; Haymond, M.; Higham, C.; Ho, K.; Hoffman, A. R.; Hokken-Koelega, A.; Johannsson, G.; Juul, A.; Kopchick, J.; Lee, P.; Pollak, M.; Radovick, S.; Robison, L.; Rosenfeld, R.; Ross, R. J.; Savendahl, L.; Saenger, P.; Toft Sorensen, H.; Stochholm, K.; Strasburger, C.; Swerdlow, A.; Thorner, M.; Department of Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
    Recombinant human GH (rhGH) has been in use for 30 years, and over that time its safety and efficacy in children and adults has been subject to considerable scrutiny. In 2001, a statement from the GH Research Society (GRS) concluded that 'for approved indications, GH is safe'; however, the statement highlighted a number of areas for on-going surveillance of long-term safety, including cancer risk, impact on glucose homeostasis, and use of high dose pharmacological rhGH treatment. Over the intervening years, there have been a number of publications addressing the safety of rhGH with regard to mortality, cancer and cardiovascular risk, and the need for long-term surveillance of the increasing number of adults who were treated with rhGH in childhood. Against this backdrop of interest in safety, the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE), the GRS, and the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) convened a meeting to reappraise the safety of rhGH. The ouput of the meeting is a concise position statement.