Aliquots - Research Briefs

A VUMC study found that following up with patients within the week after their hospital discharge as a stand-alone intervention has no impact on readmissions, mortality or patient satisfaction.
April 12, 2022

Financial impact of prior authorization

Prior authorization — health insurer approval of a medical intervention prior to treatment — costs more than $40 million for U.S. academic radiation oncology practices, with questionable value added to patient care.

By Leigh MacMillan
April 11, 2022

Peptides promote AFib arrhythmia

Peptide oligomers have detrimental metabolic effects and cause pro-arrhythmic electrophysiological changes in heart atria, suggesting they may contribute to atrial fibrillation.

By Leigh MacMillan
April 7, 2022

Computer eyeballs graft-vs-host disease

A machine learning algorithm identified areas of skin affected by chronic graft-versus-host disease on par with clinicians, opening the door to streamlining and standardizing this measure of patient response to therapy.

By Paul Govern
x-ray of stomach
April 7, 2022

New prognosis predictor and target for gastric cancer

The protein CGA — a subunit of glycoprotein hormones — is a biomarker that predicts chemoresistance in gastric cancer and could be targeted along with EGFR to restore chemosensitivity.

By Sarah E. Glass
March 29, 2022

There’s no slowing arterial stiffening

Over 10 years, multiple healthy behaviors did not slow the progression of arterial stiffness, a risk factor for coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

By Paul Govern
March 28, 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis: special deliveries

Birth outcomes including postpartum infection and blood transfusion were similar in women with and without rheumatoid arthritis, and continued use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics is recommended to limit steroid exposure.

By Bill Snyder
March 24, 2022

Stress in young adult cancer patients and caregivers

Adolescent and young adult oncology patients and caregivers experience psychosocial impairment and financial toxicity at the time of cancer diagnosis, findings that will inform interventions to support patient and caregiver well-being.
By Leigh MacMillan
March 24, 2022

Reducing obesity-related inflammation

A treatment that increases levels of lipid signaling molecules reduced adipose tissue inflammation in obese adults, suggesting this pathway may be a valuable target for modulating fat and systemic inflammation.
By VUMC News and Communications
March 15, 2022

Improving care for gynecologic cancer

To reduce risk of deep vein thrombosis in patients being treated for gynecologic cancer, Vanderbilt researchers recommend that providers use Khorana scores and provide prophylactic treatment according to clinical guidelines.
By Emily Stembridge
March 14, 2022

Microbiome reflects COVID-19 severity

Characterization of the upper respiratory tract microbiome could help predict outcomes for COVID-19 infection, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.
By Elliot Jaffe 
March 10, 2022

Bots boost liver cancer outcome

Vanderbilt researchers report that robotic-assisted surgery is comparable, if not superior, to laparoscopic surgery for early-stage liver cancer patients.
By Leah Mann 
March 10, 2022

Technique hastens COVID-19 antibody discovery

Optimization of a technique developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center enables rapid and efficient identification of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19.
By Bill Snyder
March 1, 2022

Probing cancer cell invasion

The rigidity of the extracellular matrix that surrounds cells impacts the contractile and invasive properties of head and neck cancer cells.
By Leigh MacMillan