UB Neurologists Present More Than 30 Sessions at National Meeting

The meeting is the world’s largest gathering of neurologists, attracting more than 10,000 professionals in the field.

UB presenters featured their research through poster sessions and highlighted discussions. Professor Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, also served on the event planning committee.

The meeting took place April 18-25 in Washington, D.C.

“My faculty, housestaff and research support personnel made valuable contributions in a variety of areas during the recent D.C. meeting,” says Gil I. Wolfe, MD, FAAN, Irvin and Rosemary Smith Professor and Chair of neurology. UB presenters shared studies on multiple sclerosis, stroke, neuroimaging, memory disorders, neuromuscular disease, quality improvement and the history of neurology.

“We continue to have a disproportionately large influence on the scientific programs and content of neurology meetings, including the American Academy of Neurology,” says Wolfe, a fellow in the academy since 1991.

Participating residents and alumni include:

Adult Neurology – Class of 2015

• Noureldin Abdelhamid, MBChB
• Ghasan Ahmad, MBBS
• Deeya Gaindh, MD
• Muhammad Masud, MBBS
• Karanbir Singh, MBBS
• Pooja Sofat, MBBS, incoming clinical neurophysiology fellow

• Naeem Mahfooz, MBBS

• Mahmoud AbdelRazek, MBChB
• Haris Kamal, MD
• Adnan Khan, MBBS

• Sandhya Mehla, MBBS
• Harshit Shah, MBBS

• Marilou I. Ching, MD, MPH, adult neurology residency ’05
• Osman Farooq, MD, child neurology residency ’11; clinical neurophysiology fellowship ’12
• Alyssa Fiddler, DO, adult neurology residency ’13; clinical neurophysiology fellowship ’14
• Rajesh Gupta, MD, adult neurology residency ’14
• David W. Hojnacki, MD ’02; adult neurology residency ’06; multiple sclerosis/neuroimaging fellowship ’08
• Channa M. Kolb, MD ’06
• Ping Li, MD, adult neurology residency ’12; clinical neurophysiology fellowship ’13
• Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD ’04
• Kinga Szigeti, MD, PhD, adult neurology residency ’02

A complete list of presentations and participants follows:

• Fat, Fiber and Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (scientific session). Gregory Aaen, Lisa Barcellos, Anita Belman, Leslie Benson, Charlie Casper, Tanuja Chitnis, Mark Gorman, Jennifer Graves, Benjamin Greenberg, Janace Hart, Lauren Krupp, Timothy Lotze, Soe Mar, Jayne Ness, Shelly Roalstad, Moses Rodriguez, John Rose, Jennifer Rubin, Teri Schreiner, Brandon Seminatore, Timothy Simmons, Jan Mendelt Tillema, Amy Waldman, Emmanuelle Waubant, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD.
• A Case-Control Study of Dietary Salt Intake and Risk of Pediatric MS (scientific session). Gregory Aaen, Lisa Barcellos, Anita Belman, Leslie Benson, Charlie Casper, Tanuja Chitnis, Mark Gorman, Jennifer Graves, Benjamin Greenberg, Janace Hart, Lauren Krupp, Timothy Lotze, Soe Mar, Jamie McDonald, Jayne Ness, Shelly Roalstad, Moses Rodriguez, John Rose, Jennifer Rubin, Teri Schreiner, Timothy Simmons, Jan Mendelt Tillema, Amy Waldman, Emmanuelle Waubant, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD.
• Clinical Response of Neuromuscular Patients to Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG): An Interim Analysis of the INSIGHTS Registry (e-poster session). Richard Barohn, Mazen Dimachkie, Michelle Greer, Jonathan Katz, Lara Katzin, Todd Levine, Tahseen Mozaffar, David Saperstein, Leslie Vaughn, Gil I. Wolfe, MD, FAAN.
• Humoral Responses to Systemic and Organ Specific Autoantigens in MS (poster discussion session). Darlene Badgett, Kishore Malyavantham, Murali Ramanathan, Thomas Shanahan, Lakshmanan Suresh, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Consultations in the Medical Surgical ICU (education session). Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD.
• Time Is Brain: A Quality Improvement Project to Improve Stroke Outcomes by Educating Emergency Medical Services (poster). Noureldin Abdelhamid, Ghasan Ahmad, Deeya Gaindh, Mohammad Masud, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD, Karanbir Singh, Pooja Sofat.
• Olfactory Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease Is Associated With Widespread Reductions in Deep Gray Matter Volume (poster). Chaitanya Amrutkar, Ralph Benedict, PhD, Niels Bergsland, Michael G. Dwyer III, PhD, Jesper Hagemeier, Usama Rafique, Kinga Szigeti, MD, PhD, Matthew Woodward, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Validation of Olfactory Deficit as a Biomarker of Alzheimer’s Disease (poster). Chaitanya Amrutkar, Ralph Benedict, PhD, Rachelle Doody, Sanjanaa Rajakrishnan, Harshit Shah, Kinga Szigeti, MD, PhD, Matthew Woodward, Li Yan.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Correlation of Odor Identification Deficit as a Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease (poster). Ralph Benedict, PhD, Niels Bergsland, Jesper Hagemeier, Usama Rafique, Kinga Szigeti, MD, PhD, Matthew Woodward, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Validation of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS in Argentina (poster). Ralph Benedict, PhD, Fernando Caceres, Sandra Vanotti.
• Ischemic Stroke in Patients With Elevated Body Mass Index While on Novel Anticoagulants: A Case Series Report (poster). Marilou I. Ching, MD, MPH, Andrew Fanous, Haris Kamal, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Peyman Shirani, MD, Kelly Smith.
• Outcome of Acute Ischemic Stroke Caused by Cervicocephalic Arterial Dissection Following Intravenous Thrombolysis and/or Endovascular Treatment (poster). Ghasan Ahmad, Marilou I. Ching, MD, MPH, Annemarie Crumlish, Adnan Khan, Mohammad Masud, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Peyman Shirani, MD.
• Clinical and Laboratory Factors Predisposing to Hemorrhagic Conversion of Ischemic Stroke After Thrombolysis (poster). Mahmoud AbdelRazek, Marilou I. Ching, MD, MPH, Annemarie Crumlish, Salman Farooq, Haris Kamal, Ping Li, MD, Aaron McMurtray, Sandhya Mehla, Bijal Mehta, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Peyman Shirani, MD, Karanbir Singh, Kelly Smith.
• Olfactory Identification Deficit as a Predictor of White Matter Tract Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease (poster). Chaitanya Amrutkar, Michael G. Dwyer III, PhD, Kinga Szigeti, MD, PhD, Matthew Woodward, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: A History (poster). Osman Farooq, MD, Alyssa Fiddler, DO, Edward J. Fine, MD, Naeem Mahfooz, Poojah Sofat.
• Prior Asymptomatic Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage Does Not Increase the Risk for Intracranial Hemorrhage After Intravenous Thrombolysis (poster). Noureldin Abdelhamid, Mahmoud AbdelRazek, Annemarie Crumlish, Lobna Elsadek, Rabab Elsadek, Salman Farooq, Haris Kamal, Katelyn Kavak, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Peyman Shirani, MD, Wendy Zimmer.
• Clinical and Laboratory Factors Predisposing to Hemorrhagic Conversion of Ischemic Stroke After Thrombolysis (poster). Mahmoud AbdelRazek, Marilou I. Ching, MD, MPH, Annemarie Crumlish, Salman Farooq, Haris Kamal, Ping Li, MD, Aaron McMurtray, Sandhya Mehla, Bijal Mehta, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Peyman Shirani, MD, Karanbir Singh, Kelly Smith.
• Neurologic Complications of Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review (poster). Mahmoud AbdelRazek, Salman Farooq, Azher Iqbal, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD.
• FibroCartilaginous Embolism, An Underdiagnosed Cause of Spinal Cord Infarction; Critical Review of Literature, New Diagnostic Criteria, Mechanisms (poster). Noureldin Abdelhamid, Mahmoud AbdelRazek, Salman Farooq, Haris Kamal, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Robert N. Sawyer Jr., MD, Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD, Gil I. Wolfe, MD, FAAN.
• Safety and Efficacy of Extended Dose Natalizumab in MS: An Ongoing Multicenter Study (poster). John Foley, Elliot Frohman, Joseph Herbert, Ilya Kister, Channa M. Kolb, MD, Darin Okuda, Krupa Pandey, Gina Remington, Lana Zhovtis Ryerson, Carmelo Tornatore, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD.
• Natalizumab Discontinuation Study: Taper Protocol May Prevent Disease Reactivation (poster). Ellen Carl, Jesper Hagemeier, David W. Hojnacki, MD, Katelyn Kavak, Muhammad Nadeem, Kara Patrick, Deepa Ramasamy, Vasu Saini, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Monitoring Disease Progression in Aging Population With MS (poster). Katelyn Kavak, Channa M. Kolb, MD, Muhammad Nadeem, Vasu Saini, Barbara Teter, PhD, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, Zilfah Younus.
• Spontaneous Superior Ophthalmic Vein Thrombosis: A Case Report (poster). Deeya Gaindh, Haris Kamal, Ashkan Mowla, MD, Ghulam Mustafa, Karanbir Singh.
• The Reliability of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) for Inflammatory Myopathies Obtained in the Home Infusion Care Model (poster). Gretchen Ayer, Lisa Christopher-Stine, Shafeeq Ladha, Tahseen Mozaffar, Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD, Yuen So.
• Determining the Yield of Electrodiagnostic (EDX) Studies in Patients Referred for Neck and/or Upper Extremity Pain (poster). Rajesh Gupta, MD, Nicholas J. Silvestri, MD.
• Gut Microbiome in Early Pediatric MS: A Case-Control Study (poster). Gregory Aaen, Anita Belman, Leslie Benson, Charlie Casper, Tanuja Chitnis, Douglas Fadrosh, Mark Gorman, Jennifer Graves, Janace Hart, Lauren Krupp, Timothy Lotze, Sabeen Lulu, Susan Lynch, Jayne Ness, Shelly Roalstad, Moses Rodriguez, John Rose, Jan-Mendelt Tillema, Helen Tremlett, Emmanuelle Waubant, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD.
• Humoral Response to Epstein-Barr Virus Is Associated With Cortical Pathology in Patients With MS (poster). Darlene Badgett, Ellen Carl, Nicole Cerza, Jesper Hagemeier, Murali Ramanathan, Deepa Ramasamy, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability and Brain Injury in Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) Patients (poster). Eva Havrdovak, Dana Horakova, Jan Krasensky, Eva Krasulova, Katerina Mrazova, Murali Ramanathan, Zdenek Seidl, Michaela Tyblova, Tomas Uher, Manuela Vaneckova, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, David Zeman, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Increased Prevalence of Contrast-Enhancing Lesions in MS Migraine Patients (poster). Sirin Ghandi, Elliot Graziano, Jesper Hagemeier, Deepa Ramasamy, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Quality of Life Perceptions Correlate With Longitudinal Clinical Relapse Reduction Metrics in Patients Treated With Subcutaneous Interferon Beta-1a Given Three Times a Week (poster). Fernando Dangond, Katelyn Kavak, Barbara Teter, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD.
• MS and Cancer (poster). Deeya Gaindh, Katelyn Kavak, Muhammad Nadeem, Barbara Teter, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD.
• Effectiveness of Prednisone in the Treatment of Ocular Myasthenia (EPITOME) (poster). Richard Barohn, Michael Benatar, Michael Hehir, Vern Juel, Hans Katzberg, Michael McDermott, Richard Nowak, Donald Sanders, Alrabi Tawil, Gil I. Wolfe, MD, FAAN.
• MRI Indicators of Brain Tissue Loss: Three-Year Results of the Glatiramer Acetate Low-Frequency Administration (GALA) Open-Label Extension Study in Relapsing-Remitting MS (poster). Niels Bergsland, Ellen Carl, Matthew Davis, Michael G. Dwyer III, PhD, Omar Khan, Deepa Ramasamy, Joshua Steinerman, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.
• Efficacy and Safety of a Three-Times Weekly Dosing Regimen of Glatiramer Acetate in Relapsing-Remitting MS Patients: Three-Year Results of the GALA Open-Label Extension Study (poster). Natalia Ashtamker, Alexey Boyko, Matthew Davis, Omar Khan, Scott Kolodny, Peter Rieckmann, Krzysztof Selmaj, Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD.