Feasibility of Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Screening and Decision-Making for Children with Cardiopulmonary Diseases in Rural Guatemala, with Ongoing Support through Telemedicine and Teleteaching

Interdisciplinary Research Award

Applicants: Ramon Sanchez-Jacob, MD; Adi Nadimpalli, MD; Ignacio Prieto-Egido, PhD

Objectives:

1. To analyze the feasibility of using Point-of-Care Ultrasound to allow mid-level healthcare providers to differentiate cardio-pulmonary diseases in public health establishments in rural Guatemala.
2. To determine if ultrasound naive mid-level providers of the public health system of Guatemala can learn an already published algorithm to diagnose and evaluate the evolution of pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and interstitial lung disease in children using ultrasound equipment
3. To determine if COs can subsequently also be trained to triage other cardio-pulmonary diseases in children (such as TB and RHD) using ultrasound equipment
4. To analyze the benefits that this new strategy would provide in terms of improving diagnosis, reducing references and costs, and avoiding saturation of specialist consultation.

Impact of Environmental Health Exposures in Sickle Cell Disease Patients in Lagos, Nigeria

Faculty to Faculty Mentoring Award / Interdisciplinary Award

Mentee: Folasade Ogunlesi, MD

Mentor: Obinanuju Ozoh, MBBS, MWACP, FMPC (PI/Mentor); Annette Nzegwu-Akinsete, MBBS, MPH, FMCPH (Co-investigator)

Objectives:

1. To investigate and measure the levels of air pollutants and its effects on the lung function of sickle cell patients in Lagos, Nigeria
2. To explore and determine the effect of exposures to air pollutants in the living environment of children and young adults who have sickle cell disease (SCD) who attend clinics at the Lagos University Teaching hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria
3. To determine the lung disease patterns and the impact of environmental exposures on existing patterns of lung disease of these SCD patients by performing Spirometry measurements and by administering the Clinical data questionnaire, the IMPALA (International Multidisciplinary Program to Address Lung Health and TB in Africa) and the Pan African BREATHE environmental health questionnaires

Investigating the relationship of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) as a risk factor for development of rheumatic heart disease

Trainee Mentor Award

Mentee: Harleen Marwah, MS3

Mentors: Drs. Michele Mietus-Snyder and Emma Ndagire

Objectives:

1. To evaluate whether or not low HDL-c is associated with the diagnosis of RHD
2. To evaluate whether a lower HDL-c level is associated with more severe RHD