United States

*Purpose: The rate of living donor kidney transplants (LDKTs) performed has declined overall regardless of race. Studies show that web-based tools increase access to living organ donation (LOD). Kidney transplant candidates (KTCs) may be reluctant to ask potential donors directly. Donor app was designed to help KTCs identify potential living donors by creating social media postings about their need for transplant. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using Donor app in improving awareness about LOD and rates of LDKT.
*Methods: Single-center prospective pilot study of 53 adult KTCs without potential donors was conducted using Donor app. KTCs were required to have access to social media account(s) including Facebook, Messenger, Email and/or Twitter. Based on KTC preference, postings were shared on as many platforms as desired. KTCs were allowed to have donor Champion(s) that will post their own story on social media about their relationship with KTC to advocate for donation. Demographics, clinical characteristics, donor referrals and transplant outcomes were compared between KTCs who used the Donor app with 1:1 matched historic controls from our waitlist.
*Results: 47 KTCs posted their stories using the Donor app. Median age 48 yrs (Interquartile range [IQR]: 41.5-58.5 yrs); median time on waitlist 511 days (IQR: 107-777 days), with 54% AA (n=25). Total views on all platforms and patients were 8501. 67 donor referrals came on behalf of 21/47 KTCs (44%) with a median of 6 days (IQR: 1-23 days) from posting to 1st donor inquiry; 6/21 (28%) had at least 1 donor Champion. KTCs with at least 1 donor referral were also likely to have at least 1 donor Champion (p=0.009), use of multiple social media outlets for posting their story (p=0.02), and had significantly higher views vs. ones with no referrals (487 vs. 71 views/KTC respectively; p=0.003). To date, 2 underwent transplants (1 LDKT; 1 deceased direct donation) and 4 have approved living donors pending the scheduling of transplant. Another 4 KTC’s have living donors still in evaluation. None of the matched controls had any living donor referrals (p=0.01).
*Conclusions: The Donor app can significantly increase awareness &amp; rate of LOD, including in AA. Transplant programs should consider this technology as adjunct support for KTCs who otherwise have no prospects for potential living kidney donation.

2022 AMA Research Challenge

Using social media to increase live organ donation for kidney transplant candidates: Single-center study using Donor App

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#### Event Details
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Ricardo Correa, MD, EdD
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Stephanie Strohbeen, MD
 
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Jessica Li, MD/PhD Candidate
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Charles Lopresto, DO

### Sponsor
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Welcome to the largest national, multi-specialty research event featuring research from 750 medical students, residents and fellows, and international medical graduates.


*Purpose: The rate of living donor kidney transplants (LDKTs) performed has declined overall regardless of race. Studies show that web-based tools increase access to living organ donation (LOD). Kidney transplant candidates (KTCs) may be reluctant to ask potential donors directly. Donor app was designed to help KTCs identify potential living donors by creating social media postings about their need for transplant. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using Donor app in improving awareness about LOD and rates of LDKT.
*Methods: Single-center prospective pilot study of 53 adult KTCs without potential donors was conducted using Donor app. KTCs were required to have access to social media account(s) including Facebook, Messenger, Email and/or Twitter. Based on KTC preference, postings were shared on as many platforms as desired. KTCs were allowed to have donor Champion(s) that will post their own story on social media about their relationship with KTC to advocate for donation. Demographics, clinical characteristics, donor referrals and transplant outcomes were compared between KTCs who used the Donor app with 1:1 matched historic controls from our waitlist.
*Results: 47 KTCs posted their stories using the Donor app. Median age 48 yrs (Interquartile range [IQR]: 41.5-58.5 yrs); median time on waitlist 511 days (IQR: 107-777 days), with 54% AA (n=25). Total views on all platforms and patients were 8501. 67 donor referrals came on behalf of 21/47 KTCs (44%) with a median of 6 days (IQR: 1-23 days) from posting to 1st donor inquiry; 6/21 (28%) had at least 1 donor Champion. KTCs with at least 1 donor referral were also likely to have at least 1 donor Champion (p=0.009), use of multiple social media outlets for posting their story (p=0.02), and had significantly higher views vs. ones with no referrals (487 vs. 71 views/KTC respectively; p=0.003). To date, 2 underwent transplants (1 LDKT; 1 deceased direct donation) and 4 have approved living donors pending the scheduling of transplant. Another 4 KTC’s have living donors still in evaluation. None of the matched controls had any living donor referrals (p=0.01).
*Conclusions: The Donor app can significantly increase awareness & rate of LOD, including in AA. Transplant programs should consider this technology as adjunct support for KTCs who otherwise have no prospects for potential living kidney donation.

technical paper

Impacts of Wind Speeds on Wildfire specific PM2.5 Levels in Orange County and Butte County: A Comparative Observational Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected society's quality of life worldwide. Everyday aspects of life have been obliged to change, allowing individuals a safer lifestyle revolving around COVID-19. Once vaccines against COVID-19 were introduced, daily practices were expected to remit to normalcy. In this study, we aimed to identify if vaccination influenced the way of living of vaccinated individuals.
Methods: A questionnaire containing sociodemographic inquiries was administered via QR Code at the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) vaccination clinics and social media platforms to assess the quality of life (QoL) before the pandemic (BP), during the pandemic before vaccination (DPBV), and after vaccination (AV) against COVID-19. The study ran from January 2022 to May 2022.
Results: Participant recruitment reached 203 participants, 138 identified as female and 55 as male, all aged 21 and older. Participants received the following vaccines: 69.5% received Pfizer- BioNTech, 25.6% received Moderna, 3.4% received a combination of Pfizer-BioNTech/Moderna, and 1.5% received Johnson&Johnson. We analyzed that DPBV, 60% of participants did not visit food establishments (P < .001). Likewise, 62.3% did not visit malls (P < .001). However, there was a statistical difference AV with 67.5% of participants visiting food establishments (P < .001) and 74.2% visiting malls 1-2 times per week (P < .001). Regarding feeling of safety, while spending time with vaccinated or non-vaccinated people, we observed that 72.8% felt assured about hanging around vaccinated people, and 19.9% did not feel safe spending time with non-vaccinated people (P < .001). Concerning safety attending public events: 9.3% of participants said they felt safe DPBV, while 33.7% said they felt secure AV (P < .001).
Conclusion: The COVID-19 vaccine positively impacted the QoL of Puerto Ricans participating in the study. The statistical analysis indicates an increase in the measured daily activities amongst individuals post-vaccination compared to pre-vaccination in several variables, such as visits to food establishments, malls, and public events.

Quality of Life After COVID-19 Vaccination in an Adult Hispanic Cohort

ABSTRACT 

Addisonian Crisis Exacerbation Secondary to COVID-19 Infection
Taylor L. Brewer, OMS III, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus, Auburn, AL.; Hayley P. Nichols, OMS III, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus, Auburn, AL.; Jordan S. Nolan, OMS III, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus, Auburn, AL.; Heath W. Shelton, M.S., OMS III, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, AL.; Daniel C. Burnes, M.D., Crestwood Medical Center, Huntsville, AL. 

Addisonian Crisis, or adrenal crisis, is an uncommon condition characterized by severe hypotension, hypoglycemia, and hyperkalemia. If not treated promptly this condition can lead to organ failure or shock. It typically presents in patients who have had a prior diagnosis of Addison’s disease, or primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). Manifestations of primary adrenal insufficiency include hyperpigmentation of skin, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hypoglycemia, and hypotension. In this particular case a 55-year-old male with a past medical history significant for atrial fibrillation, hypothyroidism, and Addison’s disease was found unresponsive in his home. Upon presentation to the hospital the patient’s labs and vitals revealed an anion gap metabolic acidosis, fever of 103.2 degrees, altered mental status, an extremely hypotensive blood pressure of 69/49 mmHg, and was positive for COVID-19. He was given a bolus of normal saline IV fluids, ceftriaxone, ampicillin, and acyclovir as a prophylactic treatment regimen for possible meningitis that was later ruled out with a negative lumbar puncture. Cardizem was also initiated to combat tachycardia secondary to atrial fibrillation. Upon investigation into this patient’s prior hospitalizations, the electronic medical record revealed a previous diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency. At that time, IV hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone were initiated, followed by a rapid recovery and subsequent discharge from the hospital within 48 hours of admission. Since he was asymptomatic, COVID-19 directed therapy was never initiated. Upon discharge, fludrocortisone was reincorporated into the patient’s home medications. The purpose of this case report is to discuss an atypical presentation of Addison’s disease in a patient presenting in a crisis state due to COVID-19 infection.


Addisonian Crisis Exacerbation Secondary to COVID-19 Infection

Hyposmia from chronic rhinosinusitis: Is a vitamin D3 derivative the cure?

Background: 
Autoimmune disease (AID) affects over 23 million Americans and is a leading cause of death among young and middle-aged women. Unfortunately, no cure exists for AID. Current therapies have limited efficacy and severe side effects, therefor new therapeutics utilizing the body’s immunoregulatory mechanisms are needed.
This study investigates CUE-401, an injectable fusion protein of cytokines IL-2 and TGF𝛽, designed to accomplish this by increasing regulatory immune cells known as Tregs. Previous studies demonstrated IL-2 and TGF𝛽 together induce new Tregs from naïve CD4+T-cells, whereas IL-2 alone expands existing Tregs. However, therapeutic use of these cytokines is limited by IL-2’s short half-life and TGF𝛽’s off-target effects. CUE-401 is designed to overcome these two challenges by fusing modified IL-2 and TGF𝛽 to an FC backbone.

Methods
Several in-vitro pilot assays using T-lymphocytes from a transgenic mouse model of autoimmune gastritis (TxA23) were completed to investigate this new molecule. First, naïve CD4+T-cells were co-cultured with CUE-401 and tested for Treg induction. Next, Foxp3+Tregs were isolated and co-cultured with titrating doses of CUE-401. Finally, proinflammatory cytokines released from mature T-cells co-cultured with CUE-401 were measured.
CUE-401 was then tested in-vivo with TxA23 mice modeling an environment of AID. A subcutaneous injection of CUE-401was given to TxA23 mice, then blood and lymphoid tissue was examined 7 days post-injection for cellular classification.

Results 
In-vitro studies revealed CUE-401’s ability to functionally induce and expand Tregs, while also suppressing effector cells. Naïve T-cells co-cultured with CUE-401 demonstrated significant Treg induction, while endogenous Tregs co-cultured with CUE-401 experienced significant expansion in a dose dependent manner. Effector cells co-cultured with CUE-401 released significantly less proinflammatory cytokines, revealing the molecule’s immunosuppressive capabilities.
Similarly, our in-vivo experiment revealed CUE-401 induced/expands Tregs, as tissue from mice treated with CUE-401 had significantly higher proportions of Tregs compared to untreated mice. Furthermore, CUE-401 also demonstrated immunosuppressive capabilities in-vivo by decreasing the proliferative index of disease mediating effector cells. 

Conclusion
Unlike current therapies for autoimmunity, CUE-401 acts directly on T-cells in-vivo to suppress autoreactivity by increasing Tregs and suppressing disease mediating effector cells. This unique mechanism of action may hold the key to a curative treatment for autoimmune disease.


Injectable Fusion Protein Expands Horizon of Autoimmune Disease Therapy

Background:
Boston Medical Center (BMC) is a safety net hospital that serves a diverse patient population with various socio-demographic backgrounds. It is crucial to understand whether such factors serve as barriers to care. Previous studies have investigated disparities among specific populations, such as African Americans, and have used the accounts of cancer survivors or oncologists, but few studies have addressed barriers that encompass multiple minority populations in a safety net hospital. This study investigates disparities in care regarding clinical trial discussion and enrollment in lung cancer patients. 

Methods:
1,121 patients with a diagnosis of lung cancer between January 2015 to December 2020 at BMC were included in this study. Electronic medical records were searched for keywords “clinical trial” or “enroll”, or by filtering oncology notes for “research encounter.” Each chart was reviewed for one of three categories: 1) clinical trial discussed and patient enrolled, 2) clinical trial discussed but patient not enrolled, 3) clinical trial not discussed. Socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, city, primary language, median household income, insurance, and education level were also collected. SPSS version 26.0 was used for chi-squared and t-test statistical analysis. 

Results: 
Of 1,121 patients, 50.4% were of minority race, 16.9% did not speak English, 8% were Hispanic, 70.6% had an education of high school or below, and 70.6% belonged to a lower median house-hold income (<$84,000). Clinical trial was discussed in 141 patients (12.6%) and of those, 22 (15.6%) were enrolled. Although clinical trial enrollement has been historically low at BMC, we enrolled more African American patients (50%). When looking at age, clinical trial discussions were conducted more with younger patients (68.19 vs 71.37, p=0.001). There was no significant difference in clinical trial discussion or enrollment between gender, race, ethnicity, primary language, median household income, insurance, or education level. 

Conclusion:
Overall, BMC’s clinical trial discussion and enrollment rate were found to be similar across various socio-demographic factors. The only difference identified was clinical trials were discussed more with younger populations. This indicates that patients presenting with lung cancer to BMC experience minimal disparities in care regarding clinical trial discussion and enrollment.

Disparities in Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Discussion and Enrollment at a Safety Net Hospital

Background
Syphilis, colloquially termed “the Great Imitator,” is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete treponema pallidum. Syphilis occurs in multiple stages. Tertiary syphilis occurs years after inoculation, presents with chronic granulomas, cardiovascular, and neurologic manifestations. Syphilitic hepatitis is a rare and often missed diagnosis in patients who have syphilis and who are often co-infected with HIV or hepatitis B.
Case Presentation 
The diagnosis is made by both clinical presentations and positive serological markers, characteristic transaminitis, with no other alternative cause of hepatobiliary injury identified. Here, we highlight a case of an undomiciled 40-year-old male with HIV (on Genvoya) and chronic hepatitis B, who presented with tachycardia to 107. Physical examination was remarkable for a diffusely spread rash with erythema on the bilateral lower extremities, a small purulent boil on the right shin, left index finger and dry, itchy, distinct raised purple lesions on the scalp, eyebrows, upper and lower extremities, back, and shoulders. Laboratory findings were remarkable for a severely elevated alkaline phosphatase, mild transaminitis, and elevated total bilirubin, with negative pertinent imaging including a right upper quadrant sonogram, CT scan of the abdomen, and MRCP. Extensive additional work-up revealed elevated VDRL titers. Both a skin and liver biopsy were completed. Immunohistochemical stain of shave biopsy of a verrucous plaque on the scalp vertex and an excoriated papule of the left neck highlighted numerous spirochetes. Liver biopsy revealed hepatocellular necrosis with moderate mixed inflammation involving the portal tract and periportal hepatocytes, with immunohistochemical marker for spirochetes negative for organisms. However, given the patient’s clinical history of secondary syphilis involving the skin and lab abnormalities, it raised the differential diagnosis of syphilitic hepatitis.
Diagnosis
With our case report and extensive research of the literature, we hope to shed light on the importance of certain infections, even those in decline, on the differential. Additionally, contemplation of coexisting infections often helps to contribute to diagnoses not otherwise common. Because of how rarely seen syphilitic hepatitis is, it is often a missed diagnosis, but we are hopeful our case report helps physicians with patients with similar presentations, especially patients with otherwise unexplained high alkaline phosphatase levels.


The Great Masquerader: A Case of Syphilitic Hepatitis

Abstract Title: Applying Illness Scripts Theory to Climate Health Equity: Design and Pilot Evaluation of a Multi-Residency Educational Symposium
Background: Defining climate change is key to understanding its long-lasting impacts and the urgency for action. Climate change encompasses the natural and primarily human-driven processes resulting in vast changes to the environment which indirectly and directly impact human health and disease, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. While climate change continues to be touted as a public health crisis, much of the ground-level work for tackling the issue remains. Medical education is key to amplifying efforts for change and resulting in a paradigm shift in human health and disease. As physicians, we can bring about sustainability in these efforts by redesigning medical education to seamlessly implement the processes and impacts of climate change in the common framework of “illness scripts” which are used to teach and learn about various medical conditions. 
Methods: The purpose of this study was to pilot an educational intervention and evaluate its effectiveness aimed at incorporating the use of newly adapted illness scripts for common medical conditions with a climate health and equity lens. The intervention was a multi-residency half-day symposium for Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine residents in San Diego, CA developed via the collective expertise of Primary Care, Emergency Medicine, Pediatric, and OBGYN physicians. The symposium consisted of interactive breakout sessions focused on the climate health impacts on various cardiac, respiratory, obstetric, and mental health conditions followed by large group sessions centered on health advocacy.
Results: The symposium was attended by 92 resident and faculty physicians, of which 46 completed the pre-intervention survey and 29 completed the post-intervention survey. Survey participants reported a statistically significant difference in their knowledge and skills pre- and post-attendance of the symposium (p-value <0.001).
Conclusion: A multi-residency symposium leveraging the collective expertise of local physicians and the application of illness scripts is a potential educational strategy to educate physicians about climate health. While the concept of integration of climate health into medical education is not novel, the use of illness scripts, which are known to improve clinical reasoning and application of new knowledge to clinical problems, to accomplish this has not been studied or implemented to the best of our knowledge.

Applying Illness Scripts Theory to Climate Health Equity: 
Design and Pilot Evaluation of a Multi-Residency Educational Symposium

Association of Statins with the Onset and Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Veterans with Diabetes: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study

Background
This review aims to establish the current trends in the management of mallet finger injuries. Practices vary widely from institution to institution as there is no clear-cut guideline on which intervention is preferred. Case studies and past literature reviews from 2015 onwards were analyzed to assess for a general trend in the treatment of mallet finger injury as well as to analyze associated risks with each approach. It was found that surgical intervention, with closed reduction percutaneous k-wire fixation as the most utilized method, is generally favored in most circumstances due to compliance issues associated with splinting and a better degree of improvement in extensor lag as compared to non-operative intervention.

Case Presentation
Upon review of the literature, it was found that operative intervention of the closed mallet finger injury resulted in a shorter immobilization period of 4.9 weeks compared to splinting which had a much longer immobilization average of 9.5 weeks. The mean extension lag was significantly better in patients in surgical treatment groups as compared to conservative treatment groups and also had a better extension of the DIP joint by 11.7 º. Specifically, the conservatively treated group had an extensor lag of 13.8º while the surgically treated group had an extensor lag of 2.1º. Within operative intervention, K-wire (Kirschner Wire) was a popular choice among surgeons because of the minimally invasive fixation achieved with closed reduction.

Discussion
Overall, surgical intervention with K-wire pinning seems to be the predominating trend when considering treatment for mallet finger injuries. Surgical intervention is preferred by surgeons for all cases of mallet finger regardless of the degree of articular surface involved because of the ease of patient compliance, cosmetic reasons, and quicker restoration of function for the patient. Operative intervention was also shown to present with decreased extensor lag delay, higher patient comfort levels as compared to patients who underwent non-surgical interventions, and also avoids the prospect of having to revisit the injury if it failed conservative intervention via splinting.

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Using social media to increase live organ donation for kidney transplant candidates: Single-center study using Donor App

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Impacts of Wind Speeds on Wildfire specific PM2.5 Levels in Orange County and Butte County: A Comparative Observational Study

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