Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2010
Mentor: Michael E. Jessen, M.D.
Department: Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Room number: HA9.138
Mail Code: 8879
Phone number: 214-645-7721
E-mail: Michael.jessen@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: Thoracic aortic dimensions and variants in a contemporary community
population
Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): pending
Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):
Project Type patient-based research,
Brief Description of Project:
Aneurysms of the thoracic aorta carry serious health risks, yet the optimal
treatment paradigms have not been defined. As aortic dimensions increase the
risks of serious adverse sequelae (rupture or dissection) also rise. Decisions
for surgical intervention require better understanding of the normal range of
aortic size, the relationship to body size, and the expected rate of growth
over time. To study these issues, we propose to use data acquired prospectively
in the Dallas Heart Study. Patients in Dallas County who participated in this
study underwent MRI examinations at study entry and at a later follow-up interval.
These MRI examinations provide precise quantification of the dimensions of the
ascending aorta which can be related to body size and other physiologic variables
(such as blood pressure and lipid levels) that are collected in the dataset.
Comparison of images over the study timeframe may permit an estimate of the
rate and frequency of expansion in this population and may allow one to identify
predictors of significant expansion over time. This could be clinically important
in identifying patients at risk for expansion and patients who may warrant closer
surveillance. Finally, we propose to examine genetic data from the study patients
to assess whether any genetic markers for larger aortic size or more rapid expansion
can be identified. These data have implications for the treatment of disease
of the thoracic aorta.
Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
Medical students mentored in research:
- Stephen Maniscalco - 1992-3
- Nathan Gilbert - 1998
Publications:
Reed MK, Barak C, Malloy CR, Maniscalco SP, Jessen ME: Effects of cardioplegia with glutamate and aspartate on TCA cycle metabolism. Surg Forum 45:227-30, 1994.
Reed MK, Barak C, Malloy CR, Maniscalco SP, Jessen ME: Effects of glutamate and aspartate on substrate oxidation during potassium arrest. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 112:1651-60, 1996.
Gilbert NF, Meyer PE, Tauriainen MP, Chao RY, Patel JB, Malloy CR, Jessen ME: Effects of hypothermia on myocardial substrate selection. Ann Thorac Surg 74:1208-12, 2002.
Abstracts
Jessen ME, Maniscalco SP, Jeffrey FM, Sherry AD, Storey CJ, Chao RY, Ring WS, Malloy CR: Acetate and lactate oxidation in the perfused failing human heart. In: Proceedings of the 12th annual meeting of the Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine; August 1993. Abstract 1054.
Maniscalco SP, Jeffrey FM, Sherry AD, Storey CJ, Chao RY, Ring WS, Malloy CR, Jessen ME: Effects of preconditioning on lactate and acetate oxidation. Circulation 88(4, Part 2):I-530, 1993.
Barak C, Reed MK, Malloy CR, Sherry AD, Maniscalco SP, Jessen ME: Effect of Dichloroacetate on myocardial substrate selection by 13C-MRS. In: Proceedings of the 2nd Meeting of the Society for Magnetic Resonance; August 1994. Abstract 1233.
Barak C, Reed MK, Malloy CR, Maniscalco SP, Jessen ME: Effects of pyruvate on pyruvate carboxylation and substrate selection in the heart. In: Proceedings of the 3rd Meeting of the Society for Magnetic Resonance; August 1995. Abstract 1620.
Reed MK, Barak C, Malloy CR, Maniscalco SP, Jessen ME: Increasing anaplerosis improves cardiac function after ischemia. In: Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine; April 1996. Abstract 1035.
Gilbert NF, Meyer PE, Tauriainen MP, Chao RY, Patel JB, Malloy CR, Jessen ME: Effects of Hypothermia on Myocardial Substrate Metabolism. Circulation 100:I-591, 1999.