Anthony L. Komaroff

Last updated
Anthony Komaroff
Tony Komaroff.jpg
Born (1941-06-07) June 7, 1941 (age 82)
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma mater Stanford University (A.B.), University of Washington (M.D.)
Spouse Lydia Villa-Komaroff
Scientific career
FieldsGeneral internal medicine, Clinical epidemiology
Institutions Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Anthony L. Komaroff (born June 7, 1941) is an American physician, clinical investigator, editor, and publisher. He serves as the Distinguished Simcox-Clifford-Higby Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Senior Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Contents

Early life

Anthony L. (Tony) Komaroff was raised in Los Angeles, California. He attended college at Stanford University and medical school at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Career

Following medical school, he received training in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School and then joined the faculty.

Komaroff was the Director of the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston MA, from 1982 to 1997, and built one of the world’s renowned academic general medicine units. From 1982 to 1987, he was the vice president for management systems of Brigham and Women's Hospital, with oversight of the Hospital's computer systems. From 1997 through January 2015, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Health Publications Division (HHP) of Harvard Medical School, the division responsible for publishing all of the School's health information for the general public—books, newsletters, Internet content and doctors' office information. The information is published in multiple languages, in countries around the world .

Komaroff has published over 280 research articles and book chapters, and two books. His early publications cover the development of clinical algorithms, [1] [2] cost-effectiveness analyses of primary care practices, [3] and clinical research on common respiratory and urinary infections,. [4] [5] In recent decades, Dr. Komaroff’s research has focused on chronic fatigue syndrome [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] and also on human herpesvirus 6. [13] [14] [15]

Komaroff was the Editor in Chief of the best-selling book, the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide; [16] is the founding editor of NEJM Journal Watch , a publication of the New England Journal of Medicine ; is the editor-in-chief of the Harvard Health Letter, a newsletter from Harvard Medical School for the general public ; and from 2011-December 2016 was the author of a daily newspaper column, Ask Doctor K, that was syndicated by United Media and appeared in over 400 newspapers in North America. In these publications, and in medical journals, he describes the latest developments in biological science and medical research to both practicing health professionals and the general public. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Finally, Komaroff also served as editor of the autobiographies of two biomedical scientists, Nobel Laureates Joseph E. Murray [22] and Thomas H. Weller. [23]

Komaroff serves as the Distinguished Simcox-Clifford-Higby Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Senior Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston .

Honors

Related Research Articles

Malcolm Hooper is a British pharmacist and emeritus professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Sunderland. He is best known for his advocacy related to Gulf War syndrome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of chronic fatigue syndrome</span> Review of the topic

Chronic fatigue syndrome has a long history with an evolution in medical understanding, diagnoses and social perceptions.

Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is variable and uncertain, and the condition is primarily managed rather than cured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Controversies related to chronic fatigue syndrome</span>

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness with a long history of controversy. Some professionals within the medical community do not recognize CFS as a genuine condition, nor is there agreement on its prevalence. There has been much disagreement over the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome, how it should be diagnosed, and how to treat it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinical descriptions of chronic fatigue syndrome</span> Review of the topic

Clinical descriptions of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) vary. Different groups have produced sets of diagnostic criteria that share many similarities. The biggest differences between criteria are whether post-exertional malaise (PEM) is required, and the number of symptoms needed. The pathology of ME/CFS is unknown, and it can be a difficult condition to diagnose because there is no standard test, many symptoms are non-specific, and because doctors and patients may be unfamiliar with post-exertional malaise. Subgroup analysis suggests that, depending on the applied definition, CFS may represent a variety of conditions rather than a single disease entity.

The Lightning Process (LP) is a three-day personal training programme developed and trademarked by British osteopath Phil Parker. It makes unsubstantiated claims to be beneficial for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and chronic pain.

Graded exercise therapy (GET) is a programme of physical activity that starts very slowly and gradually increases over time, intended as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome. Most public health bodies, including the CDC and NICE, consider it ineffective, and its safety is disputed. However, GET still enjoys support among a minority of clinicians and organizations.

David Sheffield Bell is an American physician who has done extensive research on the clinical aspects of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). He has also conducted evaluations and research in pediatric CFS and written numerous articles about the condition.

Daniel Peterson is an American physician in private practice in the state of Nevada, and has been described as a "pioneer" in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). He graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, in 1976 and was an intern and resident at the University of Utah Medical Center from 1976 to 1979. In 1979, he became a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is president of Sierra Internal Medicine of Incline Village, established in 1981.

Dr. José Gilberto Montoya is a prominent researcher known for his contributions to the field of infectious diseases, particularly in the area of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and the role of infectious agents in its development. His research has shed light on the potential involvement of pathogens and immune dysregulation in the pathophysiology of CFS. He was a Professor of Medicine in Infectious Disease at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he led Stanford's Initiative on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. He has worked on a wide variety of projects, including research focused on the efficacy of new smallpox vaccines. Additionally, he was the founder and co-director of the Immunocompromised Host Service and works at the Positive Care Clinic at Stanford. He is originally from Cali, Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chronic fatigue syndrome</span> Medical condition

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS, is a debilitating long-term medical condition. The hallmark symptom is the lengthy flare-ups of the illness following ordinary minor physical or mental activity. This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). Other core symptoms are a greatly reduced ability to do tasks that were routine before the illness along with severe fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The fatigue in ME/CFS does not improve much with rest. Orthostatic intolerance, memory and concentration problems, and chronic pain are common. About a quarter of people with ME/CFS are severely affected and unable to leave their bed or house.

Chronic Lyme disease (CLD) is the name used by some people with non-specific symptoms, such as fatigue, muscle pain, and cognitive dysfunction to refer to their condition, even if there is no evidence that they had Lyme disease. Both the label and the belief that these people's symptoms are caused by this particular infection are generally rejected by medical professionals. Chronic Lyme disease is distinct from post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, a set of lingering symptoms which may persist after successful antibiotic treatment of infection with Lyme-causing Borrelia bacteria, and which may have similar symptoms to CLD.

Rosamund Vallings is a medical doctor, known as one of the leading authorities on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-exertional malaise</span> Worsening of symptoms with activity

Post-exertional malaise (PEM), sometimes referred to as post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE), is a worsening of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) or long COVID symptoms that occurs after exertion. PEM is often severe enough to be disabling, and is triggered by ordinary activities that healthy people tolerate. Typically, it begins 12–48 hours after the activity that triggers it, and lasts for days, but this is highly variable and may persist much longer. Management of PEM is symptom-based, and patients are recommended to pace their activities to avoid triggering PEM.

Idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) or chronic idiopathic fatigue or insufficient/idiopathic fatigue is characterized by unexplained fatigue that lasts at least six consecutive months. which does not meet the criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome. It is widely understood to have a profound effect on the lives of patients who experience it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ononetin</span> Chemical compound

Ononetin is a natural product from the deoxybenzoin group, which is found in the Russian traditional medicine plant Ononis spinosa. It acts as an inhibitor of the transient receptor potential ion channel TRPM3 and has analgesic effects in animal studies, as well as being used for research into the role of TRPM3 in the immune system dysfunction associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Peter C. Rowe is a physician and academic. A leading researcher in chronic fatigue syndrome, he is Professor of Pediatrics, Sunshine Natural Wellbeing Foundation Professor of Chronic Fatigue and Related Disorders, and Director of the Children's Center Chronic Fatigue Clinic at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maureen Hanson</span> American molecular biologist

Maureen Hanson is an American molecular biologist and Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She is a joint member of the Section of Plant Biology and Director of the Center for Enervating Neuroimmune Disease. Her research concerns gene expression in chloroplasts and mitochondria, photosynthesis, and the molecular basis of the disease Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-day CPET</span> Medical test for post-exertional malaise

A 2-day CPET is a cardiopulmonary exercise test given on two successive days to measure the effect of post-exertional malaise (PEM) on a patient's ability to exercise. PEM is a cardinal symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and is common in long COVID as well.

Andrew Melvin Ramsay (1901–1990) was a British physician, who is known for his research and advocacy on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a chronic disease causing muscle weakness and cognitive dysfunction. Ramsay worked as a consultant at the Royal Free Hospital in London during a mysterious 1955 disease outbreak of what later became known as ME. He studied the disease and similar outbreaks elsewhere. Work by Ramsay showed that although ME seldom caused death, the disease could be highly disabling.

References

  1. Komaroff, AL; Black, WL; Flatley, M; Knopp, RH; Reiffen, B; Sherman, H (1974). "Protocols for physician assistants. Management of diabetes and hypertension". The New England Journal of Medicine. 290 (6): 307–12. doi:10.1056/NEJM197402072900605. PMID   4148936.[ non-primary source needed ]
  2. Greenfield, S; Komaroff, AL; Pass, TM; Anderson, H; Nessim, S (1978). "Efficiency and cost of primary care by nurses and physician assistants". The New England Journal of Medicine. 298 (6): 305–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM197802092980604. PMID   23495.[ non-primary source needed ]
  3. Berwick, DM; Komaroff, AL (1982). "Cost effectiveness of lead screening". The New England Journal of Medicine. 306 (23): 1392–8. doi:10.1056/NEJM198206103062304. PMID   6804866.[ non-primary source needed ]
  4. Komaroff, AL.; Aronson, M.; Pass, T.; Ervin, C.; Branch, W.; Schachter, J (1983). "Serologic evidence of chlamydial and mycoplasmal pharyngitis in adults". Science. 222 (4626): 927–9. doi:10.1126/science.6415813. PMID   6415813.[ non-primary source needed ]
  5. Komaroff, AL.; Friedland, G (1980). "The Dysuria-Pyuria Syndrome". New England Journal of Medicine. 303 (8): 452–4. doi:10.1056/NEJM198008213030808. PMID   6893073.[ non-primary source needed ]
  6. Komaroff, AL (2015). "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Real Illness". Annals of Internal Medicine. 162 (12): 871–2. doi: 10.7326/m15-0647 . PMID   26075760.
  7. Komaroff, AL (2017). "Inflammation correlates with symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 114 (34): 8914–6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1712475114 . PMC   5576849 . PMID   28811366.
  8. Komaroff, AL (2019). "Advances in understanding the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome". JAMA. 322 (6): 499–500. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.8312. PMID   31276153. S2CID   195805355.
  9. Nagy-Szakal, D (2018). "Insights into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome phenotypes through comprehensive metabolomics". Scientific Reports. 8 (1): 10056. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-28477-9. PMC   6030047 . PMID   29968805.
  10. Komaroff, AL (2021). "Insights from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may help unravel the pathogenesis of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome". Trends in Molecular Medicine. 27 (9): 895–906. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2021.06.002 . PMC   8180841 . S2CID   235354169.
  11. Paul, B (2021). "Redox imbalance links COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 118 (34): e2024358118. doi:10.1073/pnas.2024358118. PMC   8403932 . PMID   34400495.
  12. Komaroff, AL (2021). "Will COVID-19 lead to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome?". Frontiers in Medicine. 7: 606824. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.606824 . PMC   7848220 . PMID   33537329.
  13. Arbuckle, JH; et al. (2010). "The latent human herpesvirus-6A genome specifically integrates in telomeres of human chromosomes in vivo and in vitro". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 107 (12): 5563–8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0913586107 . PMC   2851814 . PMID   20212114.
  14. Komaroff, AL (2020). "Human herpesviruses 6A and 6B in brain diseases: association versus causation". Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 34 (1): e00143-20. doi:10.1128/CMR.00143-20. PMC   7667666 . PMID   33177186.
  15. Komaroff, AL (2021). "Human herpesviruses 6A and 6B in reproductive diseases". Frontiers in Immunology. 12: 648945. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.648945 . PMC   8027340 . PMID   33841432.
  16. Komaroff, Anthony L. (1999). Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. Simon & Schuster.
  17. Komaroff, AL (2017). "The microbiome and risk for obesity and diabetes". JAMA. 317 (4): 355–6. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.20099. PMID   28006047. S2CID   5078210.
  18. Komaroff, AL (2017). "Gene editing using CRISPR: why the excitement?". JAMA. 318 (8): 699–700. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.10159. PMID   28796848.
  19. Komaroff, AL (2020). "Can infections cause Alzheimer disease?". JAMA. 324 (3): 239–40. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4085. S2CID   219548603.
  20. Komaroff, AL (2021). "Does sleep flush wastes from the brain?". JAMA. 325 (21): 2153–4. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.5631. PMID   33999096. S2CID   234747224.
  21. Komaroff, AL (2021). "Breakthrough discovery in protein structure prediction and the promise of new treatments". JAMA. 326 (14): 1369–70. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.15728. PMID   34554183. S2CID   237608592.
  22. Murray, Joseph E. (2001). Surgery of the Soul. Science History Publications USA.
  23. Weller, Thomas H. (2004). Growing Pathogens in Tissue Cultures. Science History Publications USA.