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  7. Research and Scholarly Activity

Research and Scholarly Activity

A major contributor to the enhancement of a scholarly attitude is active participation in one or more research projects, ideally followed by presentation of the work at a national meeting and publication of a paper in a peer-reviewed journal.

At AHN, we’re committed to providing our cardiology fellows with rewarding research experiences. We encourage fellows to present at national meetings and submit manuscripts for publication in leading journals. In recent years, several fellows have published peer-reviewed journal articles and have presented numerous abstracts, posters, and oral presentations at local, regional, national and international meetings such as the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

Program faculty members mentor fellows in a wide range of research interests. We support projects in quality improvement and patient safety. Fellows are allotted one month of research during the first and second years. We urge fellows to initiate projects during this time with completion occurring during the remainder of the training period. All fellows must present their research or quality improvement projects at the end of the year to all faculty.

A unique aspect of research at AHN is the collaborative opportunities available with research scientists at Carnegie Mellon University. Fellows may participate in ongoing projects or initiate new ones in cardiovascular disease.

The Division of Cardiology vigorously supports applications for American Heart Association (AHA) fellowship research grants, as well as funding from other local agencies. Opportunities in basic cardiovascular research are also available at the Cardiovascular Research Institute should any of the trainees be interested.

Please view our ongoing and published research by following the link to the Cardiovascular Research Newsletter.

2019 - 2020 Publications

  1. Alpert CM, Sinha SS, Cullen MW, Teaching Tomorrow’s Teachers: An Innovative Model of Clinician- Educator Development for Fellows-in-Training. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2019 Jun 11; 73(22):2900-03.
  2. Joshi AA, Lerman JB, Sajja AP, Dahiya G, Kyvernitakis A, Halbreiner MS, Bailey S, Alpert CM, Poornima IG, Murali S, Benza RL, Kanwar M, and Raina A. “Sex-Based Differences in Left Ventricular Assist Device Utilization: Insights From the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2004 to 2016.” Circ Heart Failure 2019 Sep 13, 12(9).
  3. Benza R, Doyle M, Lasorda D., Parikh K, Badie N, Ginn G, Airhart S, Franco V, Kanwar M, Murali S, Raina A, Agarwal R, Rajagopal S, White J, Biederman R. Monitoring Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Using an Implantable Hemodynamic Sensor. Chest. 2019 Jun 29. PMID: 31265832.
  4. Movahedi F., Kormos R., Lohmueller L., Seese L., Kanwar M, Murali S., Padman R., Antaki J. Sequential Pattern mining of Longitudinal Adverse Events After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implant. arXiv:1907.07669, 2019.
  5. Kanwar M, Raina, A., Lohmueller, L. et al. The Use of Risk Assessment Tools and Prognostic Scores in Managing Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep (2019) 21: 45. PMID: 310251235.
  6. Verlinden NJ, Walter C, Kanwar M, Raina A. Transition From Oral Treprostinil to Selexipag in a Patient With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Ann Pharmacother. 2019 Apr 4:1060028019843665. PMID: 30947510.
  7. Khush K, Patel J, Pinney S, Kao A, Alharethi R, DePasquale E, Ewald G, Berman P, Kanwar M, Hiller D, Yee JP, Woodward RN, Hall S, Kobashigawa J. Non‐invasive Detection of Graft Injury after Heart Transplantation Using Donor‐Derived Cell‐Free DNA: a Prospective Multi‐Center Study. Am Journal of Transplant. 2019 Mar 5. PMID: 30835940.
  8. Benza RL, Corris P, Ghofrani H, Kanwar M, McLaughlin V., Raina A and Simonneau G. Switching to riociguat: A potential treatment strategy for the management of CTEPH and PAH. Pulm Circ. 2019 Feb. PMID: 30803329.
  9. Kanwar M, Lohmueller LC, Kormos RL, Teuteberg JJ, Rogers JG, Lindenfeld J, Bailey SH, McIlvennan CK, Benza RL, Murali S, Antaki J. Risk Assessment in Patients with a Left Ventricular Assist Device across INTERMACS Profiles using Bayesian Analysis. ASAIO J. 2019; 65: 436–442. PMID: 30688695.
  10. Airhart S, Verlinden N, Badie N, Raina A, Benza R. Use of an implantable wireless pulmonary pressure monitor during transition of therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2019 Feb;38(2):227-230. Epub 2018 Nov 24. PMID: 30691597.
  11. Gill SS, Doyle M, Thompson DV, Williams R, Yamrozik J, Grant SB, Biederman RWW. Can 3D RVEF by Prognostic for the Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy Patient but not the Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Patient?  A Cardiovascular MRI Study. Diagnostics 2019 Jan 23;9(1).
  12. Khidr S, Doyle M, Rayarao G, Abdel Ghany M, Hasan-Ali H, Fouad DA, Belden, W, Biederman RW. Pulmonary Vein Remodeling Following Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation-do Pulmonary Veins Represent Only an Epiphenomenon?  A Cardiac MRI Study. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2019 Feb9(1):8-1
  13. Mehmood M, Biederman RWW, Markert RJ, McCarthy MC, Tchorz, KM. Right Heart Function in Critically Ill Patients at Risk for Acute Right Heart Failure:  A Description of Right Ventricular-Pulmonary Arterial Coupling, Ejection Fraction and Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index.  Heart Lung Circ. 2019 June 20.pii:S1443-9506(19)31322-8.
  14. Benza, RL, Doyle M,  Lasorda D, Parikh KS, Correa-Jaque P, Badie N, Ginn G, Airhart S, Franco V, Kanwar MK, Murali S, Raina A, Agarwal R, Rajagopal S, White J, Biederman R.  Monitoring Pulmonary Artery Hypertension Using an Implantable Hemodynamic Sensor.  Chest. 2019 Dec:156(6):1176-1186.
  15. Biederman RWW, Doyle M, Correa-Jaque P, Rayarao G, Benza RL.  Integrated Use of Cardiac MRI and the CardioMEMS, HF System in PAH: the Utility of coincident Pressure and Volume in RV Failure-the NHLBI-VITA Trial.  Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2019 Oct:9(5):492-501.
  16. Biederman RWW, Doyle M. All That Glitters is Not Gold:  The Fate of the ISCHEMIA Trial. Cath Lab Digest. 2020 March Vol 28(3).
  17. Gajjar K, Biederman R.  A Prominent Brachiocephalic Vein Masquerading as an Aortic Dissection Flap on Transthoracic Echocardiogram:  A Case for Multimodality Imaging.  Echocardiography. 2020 Feb;37(2):351-355.
  18. Reddy S, Padadino A, Silva N, Doyle M, Vido D, Biederman W.  A Systemic review for sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients with Myocardial Fibrosis: A CMR LGE Study.  J Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine  2019 Nov:187-191.
  19. Thagaraj AK, Hughes-Doichev R, Biederman RWW. Provocative maneuvers to improve patent foramen ovale detection: A brief review of the literature. Echocardiography. 2019 Apr;36(4):783-786.
  20. Chaturvedi A, Kanwar M, Chandrika P, Thenappan T, Raina A, Benza RL. National trends and inpatient outcomes of pulmonary arterial hypertension related hospitalizations - Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample Database [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jun 27]. Int J Cardiol. 2020;S0167-5273(20)33414-8. PMID: 32603739
  21. Benza RL, Corris PA, Klinger JR, Langleben D, Naeije R, Simonneau G, Ghofrani HA, Jansa P, Rosenkranz S, Scelsi L, Thenappan T, Raina A, Meier C, Busse D, Hoeper MM. Identifying potential parameters associated with response to switching from a PDE5i to riociguat in RESPITE. Int J Cardiol. 2020 May 24:S0167-5273(19)34645-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2020.05.044. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32461118.
  22. Po JR, Tong M, Meeran T, Potluri A, Raina A, Doyle M, Biederman R. Quantification of Cardiac Output with Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension. J Clin Imaging Sci. 2020 May 2;10:26. PMID: 32363088.
  23. Sokos GG, Raina A. Understanding the early mortality benefit observed in the PARADIGM-HF trial: considerations for the management of heart failure with sacubitril/valsartan. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2020 Jan 16;16:41-51. PMID: 32021227
  24. Kanwar MK. Biomarkers in pulmonary arterial hypertension: Moving closer toward precision medicine? J Heart Lung Transplant. April 2020, Volume 39, Issue 4, 287–288. PMID: 32199588
  25. Kanwar MK, Rajagopal K, Itoh A, Silvestry SC, Uriel N, Cleveland JC, et al. Impact of left ventricular assist device implantation on mitral regurgitation: An analysis from the MOMENTUM 3 trial. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. 2020;39(6):529-37. PMID: 32279919
  26. Kanwar MK, Stehlik J. Sex-related Differences in Heart Disease: Another Piece of the Puzzle. Journal of cardiac failure. 2020;26(6):505-6. PMID: 32416234
  27. Kanwar M, McDonnell BJ, Rosenblum H, Stohr EJ, Cornwell WK. Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients Implanted with Left Ventricular Assist Devices. Bionic Women and Men Part 3. Exp Physiol. 2020;105(5):759-62. PMID: 32103556
  28. Buchanan C, Kanwar M, Cockroft JR, McDonnell BJ, Stohr EJ, Cornwell WK. Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular and Exercise Responses Among Patients Supported with Left Ventricular Assist Devices. Bionic Women and Men Part 4. Exp Physiol. 2020;105(5):763-6. PMID: 32105385
  29. Scott JV, Garnett CE, Kanwar MK, Stockbridge NL, Benza R. Enrichment Benefits of Risk Algorithms for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Clinical Trials. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2020 
  30. Chaturvedi A, Kanwar M, Chandrika P, Thenappan T, Raina A, Benza RL. National trends and inpatient outcomes of pulmonary arterial hypertension related hospitalizations - Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample Database. Int J Cardiol. 2020. PMID: 32603739
  31. Kanwar MK, Gomberg-Maitland M, Hoeper M, Pausch C, Pittow D, Strange G, et al. Risk stratification in pulmonary arterial hypertension using Bayesian analysis. Eur Respir J. 2020. PMID: 32366491
  32. Kanwar MK, McIlvennan CK, Lohmueller LC, Bailey SH, Rogers JG, Teuteberg J, et al. Defining Optimal Outcomes in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices. ASAIO Journal. 2020 
  33. Garan AR, Kanwar M, Thayer K, Burkhoff D, Kapur N. Complete Hemodynamic Profiling with Pulmonary Artery Catheters in Cardiogenic Shock is Associated with Lower In-Hospital Mortality. JACC Heart Failure. 2020 
  34. Benza RL, Kanwar MK, Raina A, Scott JV, Zhao CL, Selej M, et al. Development and Validation of an Abridged Version of the REVEAL 2.0 Risk Score Calculator, REVEAL Lite 2, for use in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Chest. 2020. 
  35. A Prominent Brachiocephalic Vein Masquerading as an Aortic Dissection Flap on Transthoracic Echocardiogram: A Case for Multimodality Imaging K. Gajjar, R. Biederman. Echocardiography, 2020
  36. Dahiya G, Kyvernitakis A, Joshi AA, Lasorda DM, Bailey SH, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Kanwar MK. Impact of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement on Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Diastolic Dysfunction and Quality of Life in Patients with Preserved Left Ventricular Function. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. Under Review.
  37. Joshi AA, Lerman JB, Sajja AP, Dahiya G, Gokhale AV, Dey AK, Kyvernitakis A, Bailey S, Alpert CM, Poornima IG, Murali S, Benza RL, Kanwar M, Amresh Raina A. Gender Disparities in Left Ventricular Assist Device Utilization: Insights from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Circulation: Heart Failure. 2019. 12(9):e006082. 
  38. Poornima IG, Shields K, Kuller LH, Manzi SM, Ramsey-Goldman R, Richardson C, Rhew E, Dunlop DD, Song J, Edmundowicz D, Kondos GT, Carr JJ, Langman CB, Price H, Chung AH, Santelices LB, Mackey RH. Associations of osteoprotegerin with coronary artery calcification among women with systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy controls. Lupus. 2018 Jan 1: PMID: 29310535
  39. Jayshiv T. Badlani, Indu G. Poornima, Amit Thosani and Robert W.W. Biederman. Cardiac Sarcoidosis Causing Ventricular Tachycardia After Myocardial Infarction. A Shocking Diagnosis Volume 2, Issue 7, June 2020
  40. Begg A, Dahiya G, Kyvernitakis A, Biederman RWW. The Use of Contrast-Enhanced Transthoracic Echocardiography for Spiral Variant Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography. Under Review.
  41. Pappan N, Kyvernitakis A, Kashyap K, Marshall E, Alpert CM, Biederman RWW, Hughes-Doichev RA. Optimizing Clinical Decision Making in the Unstable Patient: Uncovering a Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm with an Ultrasound Enhancing Agent. Cardiovascular Imaging Case Rep. Under Review.
  42. Panchal A, Kyvernitakis A, Mikolich JR, Biederman RWW. Contemporary Review of Cardiac Imaging in COVID-19 Patients: Is There a Role for Cardiac MRI? JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. Under Review.
  43. Po J, Tong M, Meeran T, Potluri A, Raina A, Doyle M, Biederman R. Quantification of Cardiac Output with Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension. J Clin Imaging Sci. 2020;10:26.
  44. Marques T, Fernandes A, Dantas R, Melo A, Biederman R, Aras R. Clinical heart failure stratification through native T1 mapping: Experience of a referral service. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia. 2020.
  45. Gopalakrishnan P, Biederman R. Impact of the 2016 ASE/EACVI Guidelines on diastolic function reporting in routine clinical practice. Echocardiograph.  2020;37:546-553. 
  46. Pappan N, Kyvernitakis A, Kashyap K, Marshall E, Alpert C, Biederman R, Hughes-Doichev R. Taking the Time to Get it Bright: Use of Ultrasound Enhancing Agent Redirects Clinical Course of an Unstable Patient. Accepted, Journal of Cardiology Cases. August 2020

2019 - 2020 Posters

  1. Axell-House D, Jiang Y, Kyvernitakis A, Lewis RE, Raad II, Kontoyiannis DP. Breakthrough Mucormycosis (BT-MCR) on antifungals having Mucorales activity portrays worse prognosis compared to BT-MCR on mold-active antifungals with no Mucorales activity. The Annual Infectious Diseases Society of America ID Week meeting. October 2-6, 2019, Washington, DC.
  2. Moore, T. , Reddy, S. , Poornima, I. Cardiac FDG-PET Used To Guide Treatment In a Patient With Multivessel Coronary Disease and Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia. Moore, T. , Reddy, S. , Poornima, I. Presented at ACC National E-meeting, 3/28/20.
  3. Wetzel A, Gevenosky L,  Doyle M, Dahiya G, Kyvernitakis A, Williams R, Lombardi R, Shah M, Biederman RWW. Examining the Issues of Pacemaker/ICD Lead Parameters as a Function of an MRI Exam; Impact of the Peri-MRI Effect. The Annual American Heart Association Meeting. November 16-18, 2019, Philadelphia, PA.
  4. Biederman RW, Gevenosky L,  CMR Effects on Pacemaker/ICD Device Inherent Stability; an In Vivo Insight.  JCMR Feb 2019. 546041.
  5. Williams R, Biederman RW.  Evaluating LV Noncompaction:  Are We Doing Enough?  JCMR Feb 2019.  552071.
  6. Biederman RW, Rayarao G.  SPACE: Slice Position Acquired Canting Effect in CMRI and Its Implications.  JCMR Feb 2019. 546072.
  7. Biederman RW, Gevenosky L.  CMR Effects on Pacemaker/ICD Stability; an In Vivo Study.  JCMR Feb 2019. 546115.
  8. Biederman RW, Gopalakrishnan P.  What Else Can We Image in the MRI Scanner?  Should We Advance Beyond Pacemakers and ICDs?  JCMR Feb 2019. 551471
  9. Biederman RW.  Myocardial Cell Tension Drives Population Distribution in Sickness and in Health.  JCMR Feb 2019. 545905.
  10. Biederman RWW, Doyle M, Rayarao G.  Myocardial cell Tension Drives Population Distribution in Sickness and in Health.  JACC 2019, 73 (9Supplement 1) 828.
  11. Badlani JT, Veer M, Biederman R.  Strange Returns-Concomitant Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return and Missing Pulmonary Artery: Root Cause for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?  JACC 2019, 73 (Supplement 1) 2509.
  12. Biederman RW, Gevenosky L, Samar H, Yamrozik J, Williams R, Lombardi R, Shah M, Bonnet C, Doyle M.  Can Efficacy Eclipse Safety?  The Additive Value of Pacers/ICDs in the CMRI Environment.  JACC 2019, 73 (Supplement 1) 348.
  13. Veer M, Chaturvedi A, Biederman R, Bailey S, Khalil R, Slemenda C, Doyle M, Farah V. Systolic Blood Pressure Post Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Predicts Mortality.  JACC 2019, 73 (Supplement 1) 1353.
  14. Chaturvedi A, Buchanich J, Yang C, Gao Q, Chandrika P, Sharma T, Castagnaro M, Murali S, Benza R, Hadi A, Biederman R, Poornima I, Alpert C.  Trends and Outcomes of Cardiac Amyloidosis Related Hospitalizations in the United States:  Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample Database from 2006 through 2014.  JACC 2019, 73 (Supplement 1) 916.
  15. Biederman RW, Gevenosky L, Williams R, Lombardi R, Bonnet C, Shah M, Doyle M.  CMR Effects on Pacemaker/ICD Stability; An in vivo Study. Circulation 2019:140:A11500.
  16. Biederman RW, Gevenosky L, Samar H, Williams R, Yamrozik J, Lombardi R, Shah M, Mangini F, Bonnet C, Doyle M.  Safety or Efficacy; Or Could We Have Both? A Focused Study of Prohibited Devices in the MRI Environment. Circulation 2019:140:A11499.
  17. Doyle M, Poornima I, Kassar K, Popeck M, Aldweib N, Rayarao G, Raina A, Thosani A, Biederman RW.  Prognosis in Patients with Cardiac Sarcoid Detected by PET or CMR. Circulation 2019:140:A11498.
  18. Mimi (Xinyi) Li, Mark Doyle, Geetha Rayarao, Robert W. Biederman Optimization of Magnetic Field Strength for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance: A Case for .75T Low Field Imaging. JCMR 2019.
  19. Badlani, J, Hughes-Doichev, R. Hanging on by a Thread—A rare case of right atrial band endocarditis. ASE abstract poster. Portland, OR 6/2019.
  20. Taleb I, Wever-Pinzon O, Yin M, Kfoury A, Caine W, Stehlik J, Catino A, Wever-Pinzon J, Bonios M, McKellar S, Alharethi R, Koliopoulou A, Fang J, Selzman C, Shah P, Singh R, Psotka M, Zhu W, Slaughter M, Birks E, Koenig S, Kanwar M, Kyvernitakis A, Hoffman K, Guglin M, Kotter J, Campbell K, Drakos S. Predicting Cardiac Structural and Functional Improvement Induced by Mechanical Unloading in Chronic Heart Failure: a Derivation-Validation Multicenter Study. The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation 40th Annual Meeting. April 22-25, 2020. Montreal, Canada.
  21. Begg A, Dahiya G, Kyvernitakis A, Doyle M, Lasorda DM, Bailey SH, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Benza RL. Is Pre-existing Pulmonary Hypertension a Predictor of Left Ventricle Systolic Dysfunction and Functional Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement? The Annual American College of Cardiology Meeting. March 28-30, 2020. Chicago, IL.
  22. Dahiya G, Begg A, Kyvernitakis A, Doyle M, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Bailey SH, Lasorda DM, Benza RL. Impact of Routine Invasive Hemodynamic Assessment Among Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis on Predicting Cardiac Events After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. The Annual American College of Cardiology Meeting. March 28-30, 2020. Chicago, IL.
  23. Kyvernitakis A, Elsayed M, Dahiya G, Begg A, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Doyle M, Bailey SH, Lasorda DM, Benza RL. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis is Associated With Improved Right Ventricular Systolic Function and Pulmonary Artery Pressures. The Annual American College of Cardiology Meeting. March 28-30, 2020. Chicago, IL.
  24. Tobaa A, Kyvernitakis A, Poornima IG. The Heart of the Matter: Overcoming Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity With a Multidisciplinary Cardiooncology Team. The Annual American College of Cardiology Meeting. March 28-30, 2020. Chicago, IL.
  25. Vashistha K, Kyvernitakis A, Hughes-Doichev R, Badlani J, Lygouris G. Acute, Severe Aortic Regurgitation From Pannus Obstruction – A Short Window of Opportunity. The Annual American College of Cardiology Meeting. March 28-30, 2020. Chicago, IL.
  26. Begg A, Dahiya G, Kyvernitakis A, Doyle M, Lasorda DM, Bailey SH, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Benza RL. Is Pre-existing Pulmonary Hypertension a Predictor of Left Ventricle Systolic Dysfunction and Functional Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement? The American Heart Association's 28th Annual Fellows Research Day. January, 17, 2020. Pittsburgh, PA.
  27. Dahiya G, Begg A, Kyvernitakis A, Doyle M, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Bailey SH, Lasorda DM, Benza RL. Impact of Routine Invasive Hemodynamic Assessment Among Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis on Predicting Cardiac Events After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. The American Heart Association's 28th Annual Fellows Research Day. January, 17, 2020. Pittsburgh, PA.
  28. Kyvernitakis A, Elsayed M, Dahiya G, Begg A, Raina A, Biederman RWW, Doyle M, Bailey SH, Lasorda DM, Benza RL. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis