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2009 Research Project Summary
1st Quarter
Aspirin versus Warfarin for Venous Thromboembolism prophylaxis Among Patients Receiving Elective Total Hip or Knee Joint Replacement: An Observational Study
PI: Scott Woller, MD
Department: Internal Medicine
Amount Awarded: $40,000
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a known complication of total hip and knee joint replacement. Preventive measures reduce the rate of VTE, but increase the risk of major bleeding. Currently, recommendations from the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) are contradictory regarding prevention of VTE among these patients.
This group is proposing to complete a prospective observational study that will: a) Describe the incidence of VTE up to 90 days after elective total hip or knee replacement surgery in patients receiving either the ACCP or AAOS recommendations; b) Describe the incidence of major bleeding among the two groups; and, c) Describe the incidence of complications among the two groups.
2nd Quarter
Effect of Fatigue Countermeasure for 3-Day & 3-Night versus 7-Day & 7-Night Duty Schedules on EMS Pilot Sleep Patterns and Cognitive Performance
PI: Frank Thomas, MD
Department: Life Flight
Amount Awarded: $38,950
The project proposal is to study EMS pilots’ sleepiness, alertness and neurocognitive function, and attempt to quantify total sleep time using a variety of tests. The crossover study will follow pilots on two shift work patterns: (1) three 12-hour day shifts followed by three 12-hour night shifts, followed by seven days off; and (2) seven 12-hour day shifts, followed by seven days off, followed by seven 12-hour night shifts.
After collecting relevant information during the study shifts, pilots will undergo an Alertness Management Program (AMP) “intervention”. The AMP will use the specific information gathered about each pilot to provide customized information about self-education and implementation of strategies to combat fatigue and sleepiness.
Identification of Genes Associated with Prematurity (IGAP)
PI: Marc Jackson, MD
Department: Maternal Fetal Medicine
Amount Awarded: $39,335
Spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB), birth prior to 37 weeks gestation, is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality, and is responsible for 75% of neonatal deaths. Effective interventions to prevent preterm birth have not been developed. Progesterone is known to be a critical hormone involved with pregnancy maintenance; its absence or relative absence is associated with pregnancy failure, preterm labor, and other poor outcomes. Two human Progesterone Receptor (hPR) genes regulate the activity of progesterone and are thought to play a role in SPTB. These researchers are proposing to build on the work of a previous pilot study to create a DNA sample repository to study the correlation of the activity of these two genes with the incidence of SPTB.
Is Vitamin D an Independent Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease?
PI: Brent Muhlestein, MD
Department: Cardiovascular Research
Amount Awarded: $39,500
This is a proposal to study the role of Vitamin D in coronary artery disease (CAD). Specifically, the researchers will study the data of 4,100 patients from the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study registry to determine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, if that deficiency is an independent risk factor for CAD, and if it can be used to predict future risk of CAD. In addition, they will determine if any correlation exists between Vitamin D and sex/age, glycemic levels, statin drug use, lipids, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and kidney and heart function.