Kathryn Rice, MD

Associate Professor

Summary of Professional Activities

My professional activities are focused on the following areas:

I serve as the medical co-director of the Minneapolis VAMC MICU, and the medical director of Respiratory Therapy (RT).  I chair the Respiratory Care and MICU/CCU/Step-Down Committees.  I am a member of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics and the Research and Development Committees, and a board member of the Minneapolis Veterans Research Institute.  

The focus of my research is the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  I also have an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

I am the co-principal investigator of a VA-sponsored multi-center randomized trial of the efficacy of case management for high-risk patients with COPD.  I am also currently co-leading an initiative to provide evidence-based treatment to patients with COPD in VA medical centers in the upper Midwest.

The Minneapolis VA, along with Health Partners and the Mayo Clinic, is also one of seven regional centers in the NIH COPD Clinical Research Network.  We are currently participating in a multicenter trial of azithromycin for prevention of COPD exacerbation and are about to begin a trial of zileuton for treatment of patients hospitalized for COPD.

Our site is participating in a multicenter trial comparing tiotropium with ipratopium plus albuterol in patients with COPD.

We recently completed an observational study of automated diagnostic and therapeutic sleep studies in patients with OSA.  We found that this approach is much less expensive, has much shorter waiting times, and provides comparable clinical results to formal polysomnography.  We also recently described for publication our experience with a locally-developed protocol for the treatment of patients with severe alcohol withdrawal in the ICU.  

Selected Recent Publications

Anne M. Joseph , Kathryn Rice , Lawrence C. An , Asra Mohiuddin , Harry Lando . Recent quitters' interest in recycling and harm reduction. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2004;6:1075–1077.

Niewoehner DE, Rice KL, Cote C, Paulson D, Cooper JAD, Korducki L, Cassino C, Kesten S. Prevention of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with tiotropium, a once-daily inhaled anticholinergic bronchodilator. Ann Int Med 2005;143:317-326.

Rice KL, Nelson KA, Rubins JB, Arjes S. Unattended cardiopulmonary sleep studies to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.  Federal Practitioner 2006;23:17-31.

DeCarolis DD, Ho L, Willenbring ML, Rice KL. Symptom-driven Lorazepam protocol for treatment of severe alcohol withdrawal delirium in the intensive care unit.  Pharmacotherapy   2007;27:510-8.

Kunisaki KM, Rice KL, Niewoehner DE. Management of acute exacerbations of COPD in the elderly: an appraisal of published evidence.  Drugs and Aging   2007;24:303-24.

Niewoehner DE, Lokhnygina Y, Rice KL, Kuschner WG, Sharafkhaneh A, Sarosi GA, Krumpe P, Pieper K, Kesten S. Risk indices for exacerbations and hospitalizations due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chest 2007;131:20-28.

Rice KL, Kunisaki KM, Niewoehner D.  Role of tiotropium in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2007;2(2):95-105.

Kunisaki M, Rice KL, Janoff EN, Rector TS, Niewoehner DE. Exhaled nitric oxide, systemic inflammation, and the spirometric response to inhaled fluticasone propionate in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective study. Ther Adv Respir Dis 2008; 2:55-64.

Active Grant Support

• Veterans Affairs VISN 23 Lung Disease Self Management/Case Management Program Clinical Trial, Principal Investigator, $487,186,
  2004 -
• NIH COPD Clinical Research Network, site PI, up to $3,900,000 over 5 years, 2004-
• Local investigator: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group efficacy and safety comparison of one-year treatment of two doses (5 mcg [2 actuations of 2.5 mcg] and 10 mcg [2 actuations of 5 mcg]) of tiotropium inhalation solution delivered by the Respimat® inhaler in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. $150,000, 2003-
• Local investigator: Effect of Roflumilast on exacerbation rate in patients with Chronic Obstuctive Pulmonary Disease – A 52-week multicenter double-blind study with 500 mcg Roflumilast once daily versus Placebo, OPUS Study, BY217/M2-111, Altana, Inc $60,000, 2004-
  
  Last updated 5/6/2008