Jacquelyn Kemmer Callander

All Publications

• Eosinophil Peroxidase as a Dynamic Indicator of Treatment Response in Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis. International forum of allergy & rhinology Callander, J. K., Charbit, A. R., Marshall, C., Khanna, K., Pletcher, S. D., Gurrola, J. G., Murr, A. H., Tang, M., Goldberg, A. N., Loftus, P. A. 2025

  Abstract

  Eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) in nasal mucus correlates with markers of type 2 inflammation and tissue eosinophilia in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This study evaluated EPX as a dynamic biomarker across treatment modalities and its potential prognostic value in eosinophilic CRS.Patients with bilateral CRS undergoing treatment with endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) or dupilumab injections, as well as non-CRS controls undergoing endoscopic endonasal pituitary surgery were prospectively enrolled. Nasal cytology brushings from the middle meatus were collected pre-and post-treatment, except in the dupilumab group (sampled once after stabilization on medication). EPX was quantified via ELISA and correlated with clinical data.Twenty-nine CRS patients and 7 non-CRS controls were included. EPX levels decreased post-treatment in both treatment groups. Median paired change was -233.5 ng/µl (CRS ESS group, p = 0.015) and 0 ng/µl (non-CRS control group, p = 0.57). The difference of medians (non-paired) in the dupilumab-treated CRS group as compared to the pre-treatment CRS group was -460.9 ng/µl (p = 0.027). A strong negative correlation was observed between pre-treatment EPX concentration and ΔSNOT-22 score (Spearman's p = 0.70, p = 0.038), indicating that higher pre-treatment EPX levels were associated with greater improvements in SNOT-22 scores.EPX levels are elevated in CRS and decline with treatment. Higher baseline EPX may predict greater post-treatment symptom improvement, supporting EPX as a marker of disease activity and treatment response in CRS.Eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) correlates with local type 2 inflammation and may serve as a noninvasive biomarker of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis. EPX declines after surgery and dupilumab, highlighting its potential to track treatment response. High baseline EPX predicts patients likely to achieve a clinically meaningful Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 change.

  View details for DOI 10.1002/alr.70076

  View details for PubMedID 41317131

• Is There Utility in Testing Pathologic Specimen for HPV in Sinonasal Inverted Papilloma? The Laryngoscope Callander, J. K., Patel, Z. M. 2025

  View details for DOI 10.1002/lary.70053

  View details for PubMedID 40814726

• METformin for the MINimization of Geographic Atrophy Progression (METforMIN): A Randomized Trial. Ophthalmology science Shen, L. L., Keenan, J. D., Chahal, N., Taha, A. T., Saroya, J., Ma, C. J., Sun, M., Yang, D., Psaras, C., Callander, J., Flaxel, C., Fawzi, A. A., Schlesinger, T. K., Wong, R. W., Bryan Leung, L. S., Eaton, A. M., Steinle, N. C., Telander, D. G., Afshar, A. R., Neuwelt, M. D., Lim, J. I., Yiu, G. C., Stewart, J. M. 2024; 4 (3): 100440

  Abstract

  Metformin use has been associated with a decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression in observational studies. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral metformin for slowing geographic atrophy (GA) progression.Parallel-group, multicenter, randomized phase II clinical trial.Participants aged ≥ 55 years without diabetes who had GA from atrophic AMD in ≥ 1 eye.We enrolled participants across 12 clinical centers and randomized participants in a 1:1 ratio to receive oral metformin (2000 mg daily) or observation for 18 months. Fundus autofluorescence imaging was obtained at baseline and every 6 months.The primary efficacy endpoint was the annualized enlargement rate of the square root-transformed GA area. Secondary endpoints included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) at each visit.Of 66 enrolled participants, 34 (57 eyes) were randomized to the observation group and 32 (53 eyes) were randomized to the treatment group. The median follow-up duration was 13.9 and 12.6 months in the observation and metformin groups, respectively. The mean ± standard error annualized enlargement rate of square root transformed GA area was 0.35 ± 0.04 mm/year in the observation group and 0.42 ± 0.04 mm/year in the treatment group (risk difference = 0.07 mm/year, 95% confidence interval = -0.05 to 0.18 mm/year; P = 0.26). The mean ± standard error decline in BCVA was 4.8 ± 1.7 letters/year in the observation group and 3.4 ± 1.1 letters/year in the treatment group (P = 0.56). The mean ± standard error decline in LLVA was 7.3 ± 2.5 letters/year in the observation group and 0.8 ± 2.2 letters/year in the treatment group (P = 0.06). Fourteen participants in the metformin group experienced nonserious adverse events related to metformin, with gastrointestinal side effects as the most common. No serious adverse events were attributed to metformin.The results of this trial as conducted do not support oral metformin having effects on reducing the progression of GA. Additional placebo-controlled trials are needed to explore the role of metformin for AMD, especially for earlier stages of the disease.Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.xops.2023.100440

  View details for PubMedID 38284098

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10810745