L to R: Our first IP fellow, Dr. Mark Mc Ginley, with his IP Fellowship Director, Dr. Hitesh Batra
The Department is delighted to announce the launch of a new fellowship program in Interventional Pulmonology led by Hitesh Batra, MD (Assistant Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care). As the first and only of it kind in Alabama, the one-year program offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary training in this important field. Mark Mc Ginley, MD, has joined us from St. Mary’s Medical Center in Colorado as our first fellow in the new program.
More Good News for July 24, 2019
The latest metric report for UAB ICUs across the hospital indicate that our respiratory care continues to improve dramatically. With interventions begun in 2017, we have seen a steady decline in the number of days our patients spend on a ventilator, an important factor in helping our patients avoid complications like pneumonia and get well faster. Kudos to the team led by Steve Stigler, MD (Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care) and Respiratory Manager Robert Johnson, MS, for reaching this milestone in patient care.
Surya Bhatt, MD (Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine) and first author Sandeep Bodduluri, PhD (Instructor, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine) discovered that airway fractal dimension predicts respiratory morbidity and mortality in COPD. This finding published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation helps researchers and physicians better understand respiratory morbidity and lung function change. Keep up the good work!
Andrew Duxbury, MD (Professor, Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care) explains how people 65 and older are more susceptible to heat-related issues because their ability to sense temperature changes may be impaired. He recommends for caregivers to make sure their loved ones are in a properly air-conditioned space, have access to indoor thermometers, and stay hydrated by keeping a glass of water nearby at all times. Great insights, Dr. Duxbury!
In this MedCast segment, Mark Dransfield, MD (Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine) explains how the Zephyr Valve procedure has been demonstrated to reduce lung volume in emphysema patients leading to substantial improvements in lung function, symptoms, and quality of life. Three cheers, Dr. Dransfield!
Gabrielle Rocque, MD (Assistant Professor, Hematology & Oncology) led an investigation on the how distance from treatment sites impacts older cancer patients. In the Journal of Clinical Oncology, she reports that patients living farther from treatment sites may experience more limited access to care, and health care spending could increase. Kudos, Dr. Rocque!
Angelo Gaffo, MD (Associate Professor, Immunology and Rheumatology) was recently interviewed during the 2019 European Congress of Rheumatology. The interview highlights findings from the NIAMS-funded Serum Urate Reduction to Prevent Hypertension (SURPHER) trial conducted at UAB which found that allopurinol significantly improved endothelial function, but did not correlate with significant reduction of hypertension. Congratulations to all who contributed to this important study!
Anupam Agarwal, MD (Professor, Nephrology) contends that President Trumps’ new executive order will create positive change in kidney disease. The order has three main goals: 1) reduce the number of Americans with end-stage kidney disease by increasing preventive care, 2) incentivize the use of home dialysis or kidney transplants to cut down on the use of in-center dialysis treatments, 3) encourage the development of artificial and wearable kidneys.