AVF RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

JURY Trial – The AVF has initiated an exciting new research effort, the JURY Trial.  Sponsored by Boston Scientific, it is a multi-center study with the aim of evaluating the relative equivalence of greater saphenous vein (GSV) patients with and without junctional reflux.  The trial will be overseen by the AVF Guidelines Committee, who will provide appropriate interpretation of the trial results for publication with the intent of improved understanding of treatment options.  Trial sites and lead investigators at those locations are:

• Englewood Medical Center, New Jersey Steve Elias, MD
• Center for Vein Restoration, New Jersey Peter Pappas, MD
• NYU Langone Health, New York Mikel Sadek, MD
• Mount Sinai, New York Windsor Ting, MD
• Stony Brook Medicine, New York Antonio Gasparis, MD
• University of Michigan, Michigan Andrea Obi, MD

Vein Patient Outreach Survey (vPOS) – Initiated by the AVF Foundation, the goal of this survey is to enhance our ability to educate those who are unaware of venous and lymphatic disease and to increase access to the highest quality of care – especially for the underserved.  Chaired by Dr. Lowell Kabnick and Eric Heil, this survey seeks to identify:

• What information is being sought by people experiencing venous symptoms in their legs?
• Where are they looking for it and what key words are they using during their search?
• What factors into a their decision whether or not to seek care?
• If they saw a venous specialist, did they decide to receive treatment and what factored into that decision?

This study engaged more than 3,700 individuals and has entered the data analysis phase with a goal of publishing the results in mid-2022.

AVF-Janssen Fellowship – The American Venous Forum (AVF) is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of venous disease, including the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) leading to fatal pulmonary emboli (PE) – the leading preventable cause of death in hospitalized patients.

One key to prevention is performing a thorough risk assessment. The Caprini Risk Score (CRS), developed by AVF Past President Joseph A. Caprini MD, incorporates 40 risk factors and has been tested in more than 5,000,000 patients worldwide in both medical and surgical populations.

A multidisciplinary Caprini Risk Score (CRS) – AVF committee of more than 30 members from around the world is currently working on improvements to the current Caprini score. A key component of this initiative is to devise ways to collect data using a variety of methods, including machine learning tools that have been shown to not only facilitate data collection but also to serve as good predictive models based on proper input.

The American Venous Forum, through generous support from Janssen Pharmaceuticals, has awarded a $50,000 fellowship grant to Hilary Hayssen and the Center for Vascular Research at the University of Maryland under the Mentorship of Dr, Brajesh Lal for “Artificial lntelligence for Venous Thromboembolism Risk Assessment Modeling.”  The goal of this project will be to improve the predictive power of VTE RAMs using AI-derived data processing and analytic tools. The algorithm can be embedded in an EHR that automatically risk-stratifies each patient and would self-update the Caprini Risk Score (CRS) based on evolving patient information in real time.

AVF-BSCI Translational Research Grant – In March of 2022, the American Venous Forum will announce the inaugural winner of the AVF-BSCI Translational Research Grant which will provide a $85,000 grant over two years for an original, translational research project in venous disease addressing:

• Venous obstruction with an emphasis on the treatment of appropriate patients with appropriate care
• Venous thrombus management with an emphasis on understanding morphology
• Management and treatment of superficial venous insufficiency

AVF-JOBST Clinical Research Grant – Since 1996, the AVF, in collaboration with JOBST, initiated the AVF-JOBST Research Grant which provided a $85,000 grant over two years.  In 2022, the grant transitioned to one for original, clinical research in venous diseases, lymphatic diseases, or lipedema with an emphasis on:

• Prevention of disease and its progression
• Diagnosis of disease
• The science of management of the above conditions, especially with compression therapy

Current and past AVF-JOBST Research Grants:

• 2021 – Khanh P. Nguyen, MD, MCR, Oregon Health & Science University, Vein Wall Injury and Stenting, Ongoing
• 2020 – Eri Fukaya, MD, PhD, Stanford University, A New Diagnostic Modality For Chronic Venous Disease, Ongoing
• 2019 – Andrea Obi, MD, University of Michigan, Modulation of Post-Thrombotic Vein Wall Fibrosis
• 2018 – Efthymios Avgerinos, MD, University of Pittsburgh, Standard vs Ultrasound-assisted Catheter Thrombolysis for Submassive Pulmonary Embolism (SUNSET sPE)
• 2017 – Yogendra Kanthi, MD, University of Michigan, Modulation of Venous Thrombo-Inflammation by Inhaled Carbon Monoxide and Heme Oxygenase-1
• 2016 – Maxim Shaydakov, MD-PhD, University of Michigan, Functional Heterogeneity of Human Venous Valve Endothelium and its Role in DVT Pathogenesis
• 2015 – Andrew Kimball, MD, University of Michigan, Macrophage Phenotypes and Their Effect on Venous Thrombus Resolution and Development of PTS
• 2014 – Harry Ma, MD, University of Oklahoma, A Comparison of Reliability and Durability of Class 2 Compression Stockings
• 2012 – Rabih Chaer, MD, University of Pittsburgh, Clinical Implications of Genetic Variations of Venous Stasis Ulceration