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Dr. Davis[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Esa M. Davis, M.D., M.P.H.
Vice chair, USPSTF
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Senior Associate Dean of Population and Community Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and break or fracture more easily. It is more common as people age and can lead to serious disability, chronic pain, loss of independence, and even death.
The Task Force looked at the evidence and found that all women who are 65 and older should be screened for osteoporosis. Menopause causes hormone changes that affect a person's bone density and causes their bones to break down faster than they can rebuild, thereby increasing a person's risk of osteoporosis. As a result, women younger than 65 who have already gone through menopause and have at least one additional risk factor for osteoporosis should receive a formal risk assessment to determine whether they should then be screened.
It's important to note that men can also get osteoporosis and have similar risk factors as women, but unfortunately there is not enough evidence to determine whether or not screening and then treating men can help prevent fractures.
Dr. Mohyuddin[/caption]
Hira Mohyuddin, PGY-2
Psychiatry Residency Training Program
The George Washington University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Frailty has become increasingly significant as the global population grows older, as this syndrome is linked with a higher mortality and morbidity in aging. Causes contributing to frailty are poorly understood, but it seems that the role of inflammation is very likely.
While other chronic infections were shown to precipitate and perpetuate inflammation that contributes to the development of frailty, no prior study has previously focused on possible links between Toxoplasma gondii and geriatric frailty. Benefiting from a collaboration with Spanish and Portuguese researchers, we have now tested, for the first time to our knowledge, this possible association.
Esa M. Davis, M.D., M.P.H , F.A.A.F.P
Professor of Medicine and Family and Community Medicine
Associate Vice President of Community Health and
Senior Associate Dean of pPopulation Health and Community Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Davis joined the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in January 2021
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia, are among the leading causes of serious complications and death for pregnant people in the United States.
Pregnant women and pregnant people of all genders should have their blood pressure measured at each prenatal visit to help find and prevent serious health issues related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. 
Dr. Finn[/caption]
Aloke V. Finn MD
Medical Director/Chief Scientific Officer
CVPath Institute Inc.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response:Transcatheter left atrial appendageal closure (LAAC) has become an established therapeutic approach for prevention of stroke in subjects with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who are ineligible for long-term oral anticoagulation. Device-related thrombus (DRT), developing after LAAO procedures occurs in a small proportion but patients receiving these devices but is associated with critical embolic events such as ischemic stroke. Thrombogenicity and delayed endothelialization of fabric play a role in the development of DRT. Fluorinated polymers are known to have thromboresistant properties which may favorably modify blood biomaterial interactions of a LAAO device.
In this study we compared the thrombogenicity and endothelial coverage (EC) after left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) between a novel fluoropolymer-coated Watchman (FP-WM (Watchman FLX PRO) and the conventional uncoated Watchman FLX (WM).
Dr. Mazzeffi[/caption]
Michael Mazzeffi MD MPH MSc
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Division Chief Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine
Medical Director Rapid Response Team
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We have known for some time that COVID19 is characterized by hypercoagulability or excess blood clotting. In fact, the incidence of blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary emboli) is as high 20% and is two to three times more common in COVID19 than in severe influenza. Further, autopsies of patients who died from COVID19 have shown that endothelial cells (cells that line the blood vessels) are damaged and that "micro clots" form in multiple organs. Together, these findings strongly suggest that excess blood clotting and endothelial cell dysfunction are defining features of severe COVID19.
For several months, my colleagues and I have been interested in whether aspirin might improve outcomes in patients with severe COVID19. In prior observational research studies, aspirin was found to be protective in patients with severe lung injury. The general idea is that aspirin reduces platelet aggregates in the lung and this improves outcome. Unfortunately, in a prior randomized controlled study (LIPS-A) aspirin was not shown to reduce the incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Nevertheless, COVID19 has unique features that make aspirin more likely to be effective. Mainly COVID19 is associated with hypercoagulability to a greater degree than in other viral illnesses. 