News from NYU Langone Health
Med-School Accreditation Is Outdated. (Wall Street Journal)
The Wall Street Journal (10/3)* In an opinion piece, Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO, and Steven B. Abramson, the Frederick H. King Professor of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, professor, Department of Pathology, chair, Department of Medicine, executive vice president and vice dean for education, faculty, and academic affairs, chief academic officer, write that the Liaison Committee on Medical Education’s accreditation process is outdated, burdensome, and misaligned with modern medical practice, diverting resources from training future physicians.
NYU Langone Health Receives $1.6 Million Grant From NIH To Study Alzheimer, Parkinson Progression. (Opthalmology Times)
Opthalmology Times (10/3) Researchers at NYU Langone Health will explore ocular changes as potential early indicators of Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, supported by a $1.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which may extend to a total of $4.8 million under the Oculomics Initiative. Principal investigators Vivek J. Srinivasan, PhD, associate professor, Department of Ophthalmology, and associate professor, Department of Radiology, and Laura J. Balcer, MD, professor, Departments of Neurology, Population Health, and Ophthalmology, Division of Neuro-Ophthalmology, vice chair, Department of Neurology, will employ visible-light optical coherence tomography (OCT) to identify neurodegenerative disease biomarkers, with Balcer stating, “This research ultimately could lead to a breakthrough in adding vision exams to assess and potentially even diagnose Alzheimer or Parkinson diseases at early stages.” Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD, the Elisabeth J. Cohen, M.D. Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, chair, Department of Ophthalmology, recognized the significance of this work, saying, “This support by the NIH is further recognition of the important role that eye and vision play in not only how we experience our world, but also as a window into our cognitive and overall health.” NYU Grossman School of Medicine researchers who are also involved in the project include Einar M. Sigurdsson, PhD, professor, Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Psychiatry; Shy Shoham, PhD, professor, Departments of Ophthalmology, and Neuroscience and Physiology; Giulietta M. Riboldi, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Neurology; Yasha S. Modi, MD, associate professor, Department of Ophthalmology; Arjun V. Masurkar, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Physiology; Rachel Kenney, PhD, assistant professor, Departments of Neurology, and Population Health; Un J. Kang, MD, the Founders Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology, professor, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology; and Kevin Chuen Wing C. Chan, PhD, assistant professor, Departments of Radiology, and Ophthalmology.
FBI Helps Pennsylvania Woman Defy The Odds Of Obtaining A Second Lung Transplant. (KYW-TV)
KYW-TV (10/3) Jen Dunlea, a 22-year-old cystic fibrosis patient from Narberth, successfully underwent a second lung transplant at NYU Langone Health, the only hospital willing to take on her complex case, with Stephanie H. Chang, MD, associate professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, acknowledging the risk factors involved, and the transplant was made possible through a rare direct donation facilitated by a connection with the FBI, with Dunlea expressing gratitude for the successful outcome of the transplant performed on August 17.
Mounjaro And Zepbound Are No Longer In Shortage, FDA Says. (New York Times)
The New York Times (10/3) The FDA has declared the end of the two-year shortage of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound and Mounjaro, leading to increased availability of these brand-name drugs and impacting compounded alternatives offered by pharmacies and telehealth companies like Ro and Hims, which have been popular due to lower costs; however, Melanie R. Jay, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and Department of Population Health, warns that patients using compounded tirzepatide may experience weight gain if they stop taking the medication.
Interventional Endoscopy Leader Joins NYU Langone Health. (Becker's ASC Review)
Becker’s ASC Review (10/3) Nikhil Kumta, MD, chief of endoscopy, Tisch Hospital and Kimmel Pavilion, and associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, bringing expertise in minimally invasive techniques for gastrointestinal cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment, as well as managing complex pancreatic and biliary tract diseases, advanced endoscopic treatments for gastrointestinal lesions, and addressing obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Get $50,000 To Donate A Kidney? Proposed Law Sparks Debate. (TODAY)
TODAY (10/3) Elaine Perlman, executive director of Waitlist Zero, advocates for the End Kidney Deaths Act, a proposed 10-year pilot program offering a $50,000 tax credit to incentivize living kidney donations to strangers, while Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor, Department of Population Health, Division of Medical Ethics, criticizes the proposal as potentially exploitative, questioning its ethical implications and effectiveness, as the National Kidney Foundation and the American Association of Kidney Patients express concerns about financial incentives in organ transplants.
Cancer Screening Guidelines Validated For Dermatomyositis. (Medscape)
Paywalled* Medscape (10/3)* New guidelines for cancer screening in patients with dermatomyositis, which achieved 100% sensitivity in a University of Pennsylvania cohort, suggest that enhanced screenings may lead to overscreening, according to an editorial by Andrea D. Maderal, MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Alisa N. Femia, MD, associate professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology.
In Patients With ADPKD, Why Pursue Counseling Before Testing? (MedPage Today)
MedPage Today (10/2) David M. Charytan, MD, the Norman S. Wikler Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, discusses the importance of counseling before testing for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), particularly for asymptomatic individuals, due to potential psychological implications, and suggests that therapy may not be necessary in many cases.
GPT-4V Flops On RSNA ‘Case Of The Day’ Questions. (AuntMinnieEurope)
AuntMinnieEurope (10/4) Research published in Radiology indicates that GPT-4 Vision struggles to reliably interpret radiologic images, performing poorly on RSNA “Case of the Day” questions compared to radiologists and residents, with an accuracy of 39% on imaging-dependent cases and 70% on imaging-independent ones; in an accompanying editorial, Douglas S. Katz, MD, professor, Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, described the AI’s performance as disappointing, though he acknowledged the rapid advancement of large language models and speculated that significant improvements in handling complex imaging cases may not be far off.
Crossword Editor Will Shortz Shares How He’s Recovering From Stroke. (Brain & Life)
Brain & Life (9/27) Will Shortz, renowned crossword editor for the New York Times, is recovering from two strokes suffered in February; his experience underscores the importance of early and consistent rehabilitation, a point supported by Sara K. Rostanski, MD, assistant professor, Department of Neurology, who says, “Early, intense, and prolonged rehabilitation is the best way to achieve the greatest recovery,” highlighting the potential for ongoing improvement even years post-stroke.
Fall Allergy Symptoms 2024: Expert Tips To Manage Allergies. (TODAY)
TODAY (10/3) Tania Mucci-Elliott, MD, clinical instructor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, explained on the TODAY show that climate change is causing longer and more severe allergy seasons due to rising global temperatures, which enable plants to release pollen earlier and continue later, compounded by increased precipitation creating a “perfect storm for allergy season to start sooner.”
In Hurricane Helene’s Wake, There’s Devastation – And Hope. (Yahoo! News)
Yahoo! News (10/3) Hurricane Helene’s devastation in Asheville, North Carolina, has prompted residents to rely on community support amidst severe flooding and loss, while Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, underscores the importance of community cohesion during such crises, saying, “A tragedy like this allows for a community to come together.”
The Unexpected Sign Of Metabolic Syndrome Most People Miss, According To Cardiologists. (Parade Magazine)
Parade Magazine (10/4) Metabolic syndrome, affecting one in three Americans, is a cluster of conditions like high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, low HDL cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, and large waist circumference that doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology.
NYU Langone Health Physician Discusses Promising New Drug For Alzheimer’s, Declining Vaccination Rates. (WNYW-TV New York)
WNYW-TV (10/3) Rabia A. De Latour, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, discussed a promising new drug trial for Alzheimer’s disease, which prevents the buildup of toxic tau proteins, a hallmark of the condition, with initial tests in fruit flies showing a 10-day life extension, indicating potential for future human trials; additionally, concerns over declining childhood vaccination rates, exacerbated by nonmedical exemptions post-COVID, were addressed, warning of potential outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles, with Idaho specifically mentioned as having significantly dropped vaccination rates.
Dr. Marc Siegel Details Impact Of Port Strike On Medication: This Is Life Saving Stuff. (Fox Business)
Fox Business (10/3) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, “discusses HHS declaring a public health emergency in North Carolina, the impact of the port strike on medical supply imports and toxic flame retardants found in plastic utensils.”
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island
She Was Having Bouts of Vision Loss. Why? (New York Times)
The New York Times (10/4) A 22-year-old woman, who moved to New York City for nursing school, sought treatment at the NYU Langone Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center for a lifelong illness that began with paralysis at age 4; Josef M. Gutman, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, then a postgraduate fellow at the NYU Langone Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, now the director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center at NYU Langone Hospital Long Island, suspected a newly described disorder and confirmed through a Mayo Clinic blood test that she had MOG antibody disease (MOGAD), a rare condition affecting 1 in 50,000 people, providing her relief and leading to a new treatment plan.
