Dr. Petrov’s research interests focus on conditions that mimic asthma, hypogammaglobulinemia in lung transplant patients, and allergic drug reactions.
Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD) is often misdiagnosed and mistreated as asthma, leading to increased asthma medication use and healthcare utilization. While laryngoscopy remains the gold standard for VCD diagnosis, it is often not readily available or practiced by many physicians who may encounter this disorder. Additionally, laryngoscopy may be normal if performed when a patient is asymptomatic.
Dr. Petrov and co-inventers developed the Pittsburgh VCD Index, a simple, valid and easy to use tool for diagnosing VCD. This novel scoring system identified features of VCD that distinguish it from asthma. Symptoms of throat tightness and dysphonia, absence of wheezing, and the presence of odors as a symptom trigger were found to be key features of vocal cord dysfunction that distinguish it from asthma. Using the appropriate cut-off, the index had a sensitivity and specificity of 83% and 95% respectively, and its utility was confirmed in a population of patients with laryngoscopy-proven VCD. Pittsburgh VCD Index may decrease health care costs, unnecessary medication use and healthcare utilization by making a timely diagnosis of VCD in a patient mistreated for asthma.
During his tenure, Dr. Petrov has worked to establish and grow the allergy, asthma and immunology outpatient and inpatient clinical programs. This effort has led to remarkable growth of the outpatient allergy, asthma and immunology clinic in the Comprehensive Lung Center with a focus on difficult to manage clinical conditions including co-existent upper and lower airway diseases (chronic sinusitis and bronchiectasis in immunodeficiency patients, Samter’s triad [ nasal polyps, asthma and aspirin allergy], evaluation of multifactorial causes of chronic cough, and conditions that mimic or complicate asthma such as vocal cord dysfunction), adult immunodeficiency (including acquired immunodeficiency secondary to immunosuppressive medications), urticaria (hives) and angioedema (swelling), anaphylaxis and systemic mastocytosis, food allergy, and atopic and contact dermatitis. Dr. Petrov has implemented outpatient rapid desensitization protocols for patients with allergic rhinitis (environmental allergies) and bee sting allergy. He has introduced novel outpatient drug desensitization protocols in patients with drug allergies. Additionally, Dr. Petrov has established inpatient drug desensitization protocols for antibiotics, monoclonal antibodies, aspirin and other medications.
- MD, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, 1997
- Residency, Internal Medicine, Pinnacle Health System-Harrisburg Hospital, 2002
- Fellowship, Allergy-Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, 2004
Education & Training
Petrov, A.A., Traister, R.S., Crespo, M.M., Silveira, F.P., Xie, M., Coffey, K., Ensor, C.R., Landsittel, D., Pilewski, J.M. A Prospective Observational Study of Hypogammaglobulinemia in the First Year After Lung Transplantation. Transplantation Direct. 2018; Jul
Fajt ML, Birnie KM, Trejo HE, Petrov AA. Co-existence of vocal cord dysfunction with pulmonary conditions other than asthma: A case series. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports. 2018; 25: 104-108.
Fajt ML, Traister RS, Petrov AA. Vocal Cord Dysfunction and Asthma. Current Treatment Options in Allergy. 2017; 4(3): 329-341.
Fajt ML, Rosenberg SL, Yecies E, Traister RS, Petrov AA. A 10-year experience of a novel and safe modified environmental rush immunotherapy protocol. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2017; 38: 1-8.
Traister, RS, Fajt, ML, Petrov, AA. The morbidity and cost of vocal cord dysfunction misdiagnosed as asthma. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2016; Mar;37(2): 25-31.
Traister RS, Fajt ML, Landsittel D, Petrov AA. A Novel Scoring System to Distinguish Vocal Cord Dysfunction from Asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology- In Practice. 2014; Jan-Feb;2(1): 65-9.
Traister RS, Fajt ML, Whitman-Purves E, Anderson WC, Petrov AA. A retrospective analysis comparing subjects with isolated and coexistent vocal cord dysfunction and asthma. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2013; Jul;34(4): 349-55.
Shankar T, Gribowicz J, Crespo M, Silveira FP, Pilewski J, Petrov AA. Subcutaneous IgG replacement therapy is safe and well tolerated in lung transplant recipients. International Immunopharmacology. 2013; 15(4): 752-755.
Shankar T, Petrov AA. Omalizumab and hypersensitivity reactions. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013; 13(1): 19-24.
Owens G, Petrov A. Successful desensitization of three patients with hypersensitivity reactions to omalizumab. Curr Drug Saf. 2011; Nov 1;6(5): 339-42.
